NPR Music's 50 Best Albums of 2022

We ranked our 50 favorite records of the year, from hip-hop to classical and everything in between.

Published: December 12, 2022 10:00 Source

Rank Album Artist Info
#1 RENAISSANCE Beyoncé Jul-29-2022, Dance-Pop
#2 Un Verano Sin Ti Bad Bunny May-06-2022, Reggaetón
#3 MOTOMAMI ROSALÍA Mar-18-2022, Neoperreo
#4 Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You Big Thief Feb-11-2022, Indie Folk
#5 Three Dimensions Deep Amber Mark Jan-28-2022, Contemporary R&B
#6 Natural Brown Prom Queen Sudan Archives Sep-09-2022, Alternative R&B
#7 In These Times Makaya McCraven Sep-23-2022, Jazz Fusion
#8 Gemini Rights Steve Lacy Jul-15-2022, Neo-Soul
#9 The Blue Hour A Far Cry, Shara Nova Oct-14-2022, Art Song
#10 It's Almost Dry Pusha T Apr-22-2022, Gangsta Rap
#11 Teeth Marks S.G. Goodman Jun-03-2022, Alt-Country
#12 God Save the Animals Alex G Sep-23-2022, Indie Rock
#13 Marchita Silvana Estrada Jan-21-2022, Chamber Folk
#14 Walking in the Dark Christian Reif, Julia Bullock Dec-09-2022,
#15 De Todas las Flores Natalia Lafourcade Oct-28-2022, Singer-Songwriter
#16 Few Good Things Saba Feb-04-2022, Conscious Hip Hop
#17 CAPRISONGS FKA twigs Jan-14-2022, Alternative R&B
#18 HYPNOS Ravyn Lenae May-20-2022, Contemporary R&B
#19 New Standards, Vol. 1 Terri Lyne Carrington Sep-16-2022, Spiritual Jazz
#20 Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers Kendrick Lamar May-13-2022, Conscious Hip Hop
#21 Air Sault Apr-15-2022, Modern Classical
#22 Drone Mass Jóhann Jóhannsson, Theatre of Voices, Paul Hillier, American Contemporary Music Ensemble Mar-18-2022, Modern Classical
#23 Big Time Angel Olsen Jun-03-2022, Americana
#24 The 7th Hand Immanuel Wilkins Jan-28-2022, Post-Bop
#25 Nacarile iLe Oct-21-2022, Latin Alternative
#26 Mr. Money With The Vibe Asake Sep-07-2022,
#27 SNOFALL Jeezy, DJ Drama Oct-21-2022, Southern Hip Hop
#28 Marigold Alex Isley, Jack Dine Mar-30-2022, Neo-Soul
#29 ¡Ay! Lucrecia Dalt Oct-14-2022, Art Pop
#30 PAINLESS Nilüfer Yanya Mar-04-2022, Indie Rock
#31 Wet Leg Wet Leg Apr-08-2022, Indie Rock
#32 imagine naked! OHYUNG Apr-22-2022, Ambient
#33 Blue Rev Alvvays Oct-07-2022, Indie Pop
#34 Anyways, Life’s Great… GloRilla Nov-11-2022, Southern Hip Hop
#35 Spirit Exit Caterina Barbieri Jul-08-2022, Progressive Electronic
#36 Laughing so Hard, It Hurts MAVI Oct-14-2022, Abstract Hip Hop
#37 Nozhet El Nofous Nancy Mounir Jun-03-2022, Plunderphonics
#38 Topical Dancer Charlotte Adigéry, Bolis Pupul Mar-04-2022, Art Pop
#39 MUNA MUNA Jun-24-2022, Synthpop
#40 LIFE ON EARTH Hurray for the Riff Raff Feb-18-2022, Singer-Songwriter
#41 Sons Of Sam Prekop, John McEntire Jul-22-2022, Ambient Techno
#42 Caroline caroline Jan-01-2018, Post-Rock
#43 Black Radio III Robert Glasper Feb-25-2022, Neo-Soul
#44 Candydrip Lucky Daye Mar-10-2022, Alternative R&B
#45 Ghost Song Cécile McLorin Salvant Mar-04-2022, Vocal Jazz
#46 The Forever Story JID Aug-26-2022, Southern Hip Hop
#47 Plonk Huerco S. Feb-25-2022, IDM
#48 Lost & Found Sean Shibe Aug-26-2022, Modern Classical
#49 Diaspora Problems Soul Glo Mar-25-2022, Hardcore Punk
#50 Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville Ashley McBryde Sep-30-2022, Neo-Traditionalist Country
Markdown

| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | RENAISSANCE | Beyoncé | Album, Jul-29-2022, Dance-Pop |
| #2 | Un Verano Sin Ti | Bad Bunny | Album, May-06-2022, Reggaetón |
| #3 | MOTOMAMI | ROSALÍA | Album, Mar-18-2022, Neoperreo |
| #4 | Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You | Big Thief | Album, Feb-11-2022, Indie Folk |
| #5 | Three Dimensions Deep | Amber Mark | Album, Jan-28-2022, Contemporary R&B |
| #6 | Natural Brown Prom Queen | Sudan Archives | Album, Sep-09-2022, Alternative R&B |
| #7 | In These Times | Makaya McCraven | Album, Sep-23-2022, Jazz Fusion |
| #8 | Gemini Rights | Steve Lacy | Album, Jul-15-2022, Neo-Soul |
| #9 | The Blue Hour | A Far CryShara Nova | Album, Oct-14-2022, Art Song |
| #10 | It's Almost Dry | Pusha T | Album, Apr-22-2022, Gangsta Rap |
| #11 | Teeth Marks | S.G. Goodman | Album, Jun-03-2022, Alt-Country |
| #12 | God Save the Animals | Alex G | Album, Sep-23-2022, Indie Rock |
| #13 | Marchita | Silvana Estrada | Album, Jan-21-2022, Chamber Folk |
| #14 | Walking in the Dark | Christian ReifJulia Bullock | Album, Dec-09-2022,  |
| #15 | De Todas las Flores | Natalia Lafourcade | Album, Oct-28-2022, Singer-Songwriter |
| #16 | Few Good Things | Saba | Album, Feb-04-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #17 | CAPRISONGS | FKA twigs | Album, Jan-14-2022, Alternative R&B |
| #18 | HYPNOS | Ravyn Lenae | Album, May-20-2022, Contemporary R&B |
| #19 | New Standards, Vol. 1 | Terri Lyne Carrington | Album, Sep-16-2022, Spiritual Jazz |
| #20 | Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers | Kendrick Lamar | Album, May-13-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #21 | Air | Sault | Album, Apr-15-2022, Modern Classical |
| #22 | Drone Mass | Jóhann JóhannssonTheatre of VoicesPaul HillierAmerican Contemporary Music Ensemble | Album, Mar-18-2022, Modern Classical |
| #23 | Big Time | Angel Olsen | Album, Jun-03-2022, Americana |
| #24 | The 7th Hand | Immanuel Wilkins | Album, Jan-28-2022, Post-Bop |
| #25 | Nacarile | iLe | Album, Oct-21-2022, Latin Alternative |
| #26 | Mr. Money With The Vibe | Asake | Album, Sep-07-2022,  |
| #27 | SNOFALL | JeezyDJ Drama | Album, Oct-21-2022, Southern Hip Hop |
| #28 | Marigold | Alex IsleyJack Dine | Album, Mar-30-2022, Neo-Soul |
| #29 | ¡Ay! | Lucrecia Dalt | Album, Oct-14-2022, Art Pop |
| #30 | PAINLESS | Nilüfer Yanya | Album, Mar-04-2022, Indie Rock |
| #31 | Wet Leg | Wet Leg | Album, Apr-08-2022, Indie Rock |
| #32 | imagine naked! | OHYUNG | Album, Apr-22-2022, Ambient |
| #33 | Blue Rev | Alvvays | Album, Oct-07-2022, Indie Pop |
| #34 | Anyways, Life’s Great… | GloRilla | EP, Nov-11-2022, Southern Hip Hop |
| #35 | Spirit Exit | Caterina Barbieri | Album, Jul-08-2022, Progressive Electronic |
| #36 | Laughing so Hard, It Hurts | MAVI | Album, Oct-14-2022, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #37 | Nozhet El Nofous | Nancy Mounir | Album, Jun-03-2022, Plunderphonics |
| #38 | Topical Dancer | Charlotte AdigéryBolis Pupul | Album, Mar-04-2022, Art Pop |
| #39 | MUNA | MUNA | Album, Jun-24-2022, Synthpop |
| #40 | LIFE ON EARTH | Hurray for the Riff Raff | Album, Feb-18-2022, Singer-Songwriter |
| #41 | Sons Of | Sam PrekopJohn McEntire | Album, Jul-22-2022, Ambient Techno |
| #42 | Caroline | caroline | Album, Jan-01-2018, Post-Rock |
| #43 | Black Radio III | Robert Glasper | Album, Feb-25-2022, Neo-Soul |
| #44 | Candydrip | Lucky Daye | Album, Mar-10-2022, Alternative R&B |
| #45 | Ghost Song | Cécile McLorin Salvant | Album, Mar-04-2022, Vocal Jazz |
| #46 | The Forever Story | JID | Album, Aug-26-2022, Southern Hip Hop |
| #47 | Plonk | Huerco S. | Album, Feb-25-2022, IDM |
| #48 | Lost & Found | Sean Shibe | Album, Aug-26-2022, Modern Classical |
| #49 | Diaspora Problems | Soul Glo | Album, Mar-25-2022, Hardcore Punk |
| #50 | Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville | Ashley McBryde | Album, Sep-30-2022, Neo-Traditionalist Country |