PopMatters' 80 Best Albums of 2022
Musicians were more active in 2022 and it resulted in a vast treasure trove of superb work. The best albums of 2022 pushed boundaries and are more varied than ever.
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | RENAISSANCE | Beyoncé | Jul-29-2022, Dance-Pop |
| #2 | Fear Of The Dawn | Jack White | Apr-08-2022, Blues Rock |
| #3 | A Light for Attracting Attention | The Smile | May-13-2022, Art Rock |
| #4 | As Above So Below | Sampa the Great | Sep-09-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #5 | Midnights | Taylor Swift | Oct-21-2022, Alt-Pop |
| #6 | THE POWER IN US | Poppy Ajudha | Apr-22-2022, Neo-Soul |
| #7 | The Last Goodbye | ODESZA | Jul-22-2022, Electronic Dance Music |
| #8 | Hold The Girl | Rina Sawayama | Sep-16-2022, Pop Rock |
| #9 | Profound Mysteries | Röyksopp | Apr-29-2022, Electropop |
| #10 | Ants From Up There | Black Country, New Road | Feb-04-2022, Art Rock |
| #11 | Farm to Table | Bartees Strange | Jun-17-2022, Indie Rock |
| #12 | Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You | Big Thief | Feb-11-2022, Indie Folk |
| #13 | Once Twice Melody | Beach House | Feb-18-2022, Dream Pop |
| #14 | Wet Leg | Wet Leg | Apr-08-2022, Indie Rock |
| #15 | Ultra Truth | Daniel Avery | Nov-04-2022, Progressive Breaks |
| #16 | Stumpwork | Dry Cleaning | Oct-21-2022, Post-Punk |
| #17 | Angels & Queens - Part I | Gabriels | Sep-30-2022, Soul |
| #18 | The Overload | Yard Act | Jan-21-2022, Post-Punk |
| #19 | MOTOMAMI | ROSALÍA | Mar-18-2022, Neoperreo |
| #20 | Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers | Kendrick Lamar | May-13-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #21 | Take It Like A Man | Amanda Shires | Jul-29-2022, Singer-Songwriter |
| #22 | Freakout / Release | Hot Chip | Aug-19-2022, Synthpop |
| #23 | Nothing To Declare | 700 Bliss | May-27-2022, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #24 | Let's Say For Instance | Emeli Sandé | May-06-2022, Pop Soul |
| #25 | Hellfire | black midi | Jul-15-2022, Avant-Prog |
| #26 | Where's the One? | Congotronics International | Apr-29-2022, Tradi-Modern |
| #27 | LIFE ON EARTH | Hurray for the Riff Raff | Feb-18-2022, Singer-Songwriter |
| #28 | Skinty Fia | Fontaines D.C. | Apr-22-2022, Gothic Rock |
| #29 | Natural Brown Prom Queen | Sudan Archives | Sep-09-2022, Alternative R&B |
| #30 | Tableau | The Orielles | Oct-07-2022, Dream Pop |
| #31 | Weather Alive | Beth Orton | Sep-23-2022, Art Pop |
| #32 | God Save the Animals | Alex G | Sep-23-2022, Indie Rock |
| #33 | Reason to Smile | Kojey Radical | Mar-04-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #34 | The New Faith | Jake Blount | Sep-23-2022, Americana |
| #35 | Melt My Eyez See Your Future | Denzel Curry | Mar-25-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #36 | angel in realtime. | Gang of Youths | Feb-25-2022, Indie Rock |
| #37 | Breaking The Thermometer | Leyla McCalla | May-06-2022, Acoustic Blues |
| #38 | LOGGERHEAD | Wu-Lu | Jul-08-2022, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #39 | The Loneliest Time | Carly Rae Jepsen | Oct-21-2022, Dance-Pop |
| #40 | a tape called component system with the auto reverse | Open Mike Eagle | Oct-07-2022, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #41 | Expert in a Dying Field | The Beths | Sep-16-2022, Power Pop |
| #42 | GREENZONE 108 | Greentea Peng | Sep-09-2022, Neo-Soul |
| #43 | Ugly Season | Perfume Genius | Jun-17-2022, Art Pop |
| #44 | Out of Heart | FLOHIO | Oct-07-2022, UK Hip Hop |
| #45 | Surrender | Maggie Rogers | Jul-29-2022, Pop Rock |
| #46 | Queen of Sheba | Ibrahim Maalouf, Angelique Kidjo | Jun-24-2022, Jazz |
| #47 | I Love You Jennifer B | Jockstrap | Sep-09-2022, Art Pop |
| #48 | Warm Chris | Aldous Harding | Mar-25-2022, Chamber Pop |
| #49 | En Är För Mycket Och Tusen Aldrig Nog | Dungen | Oct-07-2022, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #50 | Heterosexuality | Shamir | Feb-11-2022, Indie Rock |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | RENAISSANCE | Beyoncé | Album, Jul-29-2022, Dance-Pop |
| #2 | Fear Of The Dawn | Jack White | Album, Apr-08-2022, Blues Rock |
| #3 | A Light for Attracting Attention | The Smile | Album, May-13-2022, Art Rock |
| #4 | As Above So Below | Sampa the Great | Album, Sep-09-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #5 | Midnights | Taylor Swift | Album, Oct-21-2022, Alt-Pop |
| #6 | THE POWER IN US | Poppy Ajudha | Album, Apr-22-2022, Neo-Soul |
| #7 | The Last Goodbye | ODESZA | Album, Jul-22-2022, Electronic Dance Music |
| #8 | Hold The Girl | Rina Sawayama | Album, Sep-16-2022, Pop Rock |
| #9 | Profound Mysteries | Röyksopp | Album, Apr-29-2022, Electropop |
| #10 | Ants From Up There | Black Country, New Road | Album, Feb-04-2022, Art Rock |
| #11 | Farm to Table | Bartees Strange | Album, Jun-17-2022, Indie Rock |
| #12 | Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You | Big Thief | Album, Feb-11-2022, Indie Folk |
| #13 | Once Twice Melody | Beach House | Album, Feb-18-2022, Dream Pop |
| #14 | Wet Leg | Wet Leg | Album, Apr-08-2022, Indie Rock |
| #15 | Ultra Truth | Daniel Avery | Album, Nov-04-2022, Progressive Breaks |
| #16 | Stumpwork | Dry Cleaning | Album, Oct-21-2022, Post-Punk |
| #17 | Angels & Queens - Part I | Gabriels | Album, Sep-30-2022, Soul |
| #18 | The Overload | Yard Act | Album, Jan-21-2022, Post-Punk |
| #19 | MOTOMAMI | ROSALÍA | Album, Mar-18-2022, Neoperreo |
| #20 | Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers | Kendrick Lamar | Album, May-13-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #21 | Take It Like A Man | Amanda Shires | Album, Jul-29-2022, Singer-Songwriter |
| #22 | Freakout / Release | Hot Chip | Album, Aug-19-2022, Synthpop |
| #23 | Nothing To Declare | 700 Bliss | Album, May-27-2022, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #24 | Let's Say For Instance | Emeli Sandé | Album, May-06-2022, Pop Soul |
| #25 | Hellfire | black midi | Album, Jul-15-2022, Avant-Prog |
| #26 | Where's the One? | Congotronics International | Album, Apr-29-2022, Tradi-Modern |
| #27 | LIFE ON EARTH | Hurray for the Riff Raff | Album, Feb-18-2022, Singer-Songwriter |
| #28 | Skinty Fia | Fontaines D.C. | Album, Apr-22-2022, Gothic Rock |
| #29 | Natural Brown Prom Queen | Sudan Archives | Album, Sep-09-2022, Alternative R&B |
| #30 | Tableau | The Orielles | Album, Oct-07-2022, Dream Pop |
| #31 | Weather Alive | Beth Orton | Album, Sep-23-2022, Art Pop |
| #32 | God Save the Animals | Alex G | Album, Sep-23-2022, Indie Rock |
| #33 | Reason to Smile | Kojey Radical | Album, Mar-04-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #34 | The New Faith | Jake Blount | Album, Sep-23-2022, Americana |
| #35 | Melt My Eyez See Your Future | Denzel Curry | Album, Mar-25-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #36 | angel in realtime. | Gang of Youths | Album, Feb-25-2022, Indie Rock |
| #37 | Breaking The Thermometer | Leyla McCalla | Album, May-06-2022, Acoustic Blues |
| #38 | LOGGERHEAD | Wu-Lu | Album, Jul-08-2022, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #39 | The Loneliest Time | Carly Rae Jepsen | Album, Oct-21-2022, Dance-Pop |
| #40 | a tape called component system with the auto reverse | Open Mike Eagle | Album, Oct-07-2022, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #41 | Expert in a Dying Field | The Beths | Album, Sep-16-2022, Power Pop |
| #42 | GREENZONE 108 | Greentea Peng | Album, Sep-09-2022, Neo-Soul |
| #43 | Ugly Season | Perfume Genius | Album, Jun-17-2022, Art Pop |
| #44 | Out of Heart | FLOHIO | Album, Oct-07-2022, UK Hip Hop |
| #45 | Surrender | Maggie Rogers | Album, Jul-29-2022, Pop Rock |
| #46 | Queen of Sheba | Ibrahim MaaloufAngelique Kidjo | Album, Jun-24-2022, Jazz |
| #47 | I Love You Jennifer B | Jockstrap | Album, Sep-09-2022, Art Pop |
| #48 | Warm Chris | Aldous Harding | Album, Mar-25-2022, Chamber Pop |
| #49 | En Är För Mycket Och Tusen Aldrig Nog | Dungen | Album, Oct-07-2022, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #50 | Heterosexuality | Shamir | Album, Feb-11-2022, Indie Rock |