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 |