The Guardian's 50 Best Albums of 2022
In an unprecedented year of change in music, albums of all genres confounded expectations – from vulnerable rap to pop with gravitas. Listen your way to our No 1 album of the year
Published: December 23, 2022 09:59
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | RENAISSANCE | Beyoncé | Jul-29-2022, Dance-Pop |
| #2 | Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers | Kendrick Lamar | May-13-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #3 | Dawn FM | The Weeknd | Jan-07-2022, Synthpop |
| #4 | CRASH | Charli XCX | Mar-18-2022, Dance-Pop |
| #5 | MOTOMAMI | ROSALÍA | Mar-18-2022, Neoperreo |
| #6 | The Car | Arctic Monkeys | Oct-21-2022, Baroque Pop |
| #7 | I Love You Jennifer B | Jockstrap | Sep-09-2022, Art Pop |
| #8 | Wet Leg | Wet Leg | Apr-08-2022, Indie Rock |
| #9 | Skinty Fia | Fontaines D.C. | Apr-22-2022, Gothic Rock |
| #10 | PAINLESS | Nilüfer Yanya | Mar-04-2022, Indie Rock |
| #11 | Nymph | Shygirl | Sep-30-2022, Alternative R&B |
| #12 | Harry's House | Harry Styles | May-20-2022, Pop Rock |
| #13 | Most Normal | Gilla Band | Oct-07-2022, Noise Rock |
| #14 | Natural Brown Prom Queen | Sudan Archives | Sep-09-2022, Alternative R&B |
| #15 | CAPRISONGS | FKA twigs | Jan-14-2022, Alternative R&B |
| #16 | Cool It Down | Yeah Yeah Yeahs | Sep-30-2022, Indie Rock |
| #17 | Midnights | Taylor Swift | Oct-21-2022, Alt-Pop |
| #18 | Gemini Rights | Steve Lacy | Jul-15-2022, Neo-Soul |
| #19 | Stumpwork | Dry Cleaning | Oct-21-2022, Post-Punk |
| #20 | Diaspora Problems | Soul Glo | Mar-25-2022, Hardcore Punk |
| #21 | Laurel Hell | Mitski | Feb-04-2022, Synthpop |
| #22 | Pompeii | Cate Le Bon | Feb-04-2022, Art Pop |
| #23 | Preacher’s Daughter | Ethel Cain | May-12-2022, Singer-Songwriter |
| #24 | Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You | Big Thief | Feb-11-2022, Indie Folk |
| #25 | Blue Rev | Alvvays | Oct-07-2022, Indie Pop |
| #26 | Being Funny In a Foreign Language | The 1975 | Oct-14-2022, Pop Rock |
| #27 | Angels & Queens - Part I | Gabriels | Sep-30-2022, Soul |
| #28 | Classic Objects | Jenny Hval | Mar-11-2022, Art Pop |
| #29 | Two Ribbons | Let's Eat Grandma | Apr-29-2022, Synthpop |
| #30 | MUNA | MUNA | Jun-24-2022, Synthpop |
| #31 | It's Almost Dry | Pusha T | Apr-22-2022, Gangsta Rap |
| #32 | Remember Your North Star | Yaya Bey | Jun-17-2022, Neo-Soul |
| #33 | Ghosted | Oren Ambarchi, Johan Berthling, Andreas Werliin | Apr-15-2022, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #34 | Topical Dancer | Charlotte Adigéry, Bolis Pupul | Mar-04-2022, Art Pop |
| #35 | Fossora | Björk | Sep-30-2022, Art Pop |
| #36 | We've Been Going About This All Wrong | Sharon Van Etten | May-06-2022, Singer-Songwriter |
| #37 | LOGGERHEAD | Wu-Lu | Jul-08-2022, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #38 | Un Verano Sin Ti | Bad Bunny | May-06-2022, Reggaetón |
| #39 | How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars | The Weather Station | Mar-04-2022, Singer-Songwriter |
| #40 | GOLD | Alabaster Deplume | Apr-01-2022, Spiritual Jazz |
| #41 | Hideous Bastard | Oliver Sim | Sep-09-2022, Alt-Pop |
| #42 | God Save the Animals | Alex G | Sep-23-2022, Indie Rock |
| #43 | Autofiction | Suede | Sep-16-2022, Alternative Rock |
| #44 | PRE PLEASURE | Julia Jacklin | Aug-26-2022, Singer-Songwriter |
| #45 | Endure | Special Interest | Nov-04-2022, Dance-Punk |
| #46 | Cheat Codes | Danger Mouse, Black Thought | Aug-12-2022, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #47 | SICK! | Earl Sweatshirt | Jan-14-2022, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #48 | Reason to Smile | Kojey Radical | Mar-04-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #49 | Dirt Femme | Tove Lo | Oct-14-2022, Dance-Pop |
| #50 | Alpha Zulu | Phoenix | Nov-04-2022, Synthpop |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | RENAISSANCE | Beyoncé | Album, Jul-29-2022, Dance-Pop |
| #2 | Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers | Kendrick Lamar | Album, May-13-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #3 | Dawn FM | The Weeknd | Album, Jan-07-2022, Synthpop |
| #4 | CRASH | Charli XCX | Album, Mar-18-2022, Dance-Pop |
| #5 | MOTOMAMI | ROSALÍA | Album, Mar-18-2022, Neoperreo |
| #6 | The Car | Arctic Monkeys | Album, Oct-21-2022, Baroque Pop |
| #7 | I Love You Jennifer B | Jockstrap | Album, Sep-09-2022, Art Pop |
| #8 | Wet Leg | Wet Leg | Album, Apr-08-2022, Indie Rock |
| #9 | Skinty Fia | Fontaines D.C. | Album, Apr-22-2022, Gothic Rock |
| #10 | PAINLESS | Nilüfer Yanya | Album, Mar-04-2022, Indie Rock |
| #11 | Nymph | Shygirl | Album, Sep-30-2022, Alternative R&B |
| #12 | Harry's House | Harry Styles | Album, May-20-2022, Pop Rock |
| #13 | Most Normal | Gilla Band | Album, Oct-07-2022, Noise Rock |
| #14 | Natural Brown Prom Queen | Sudan Archives | Album, Sep-09-2022, Alternative R&B |
| #15 | CAPRISONGS | FKA twigs | Album, Jan-14-2022, Alternative R&B |
| #16 | Cool It Down | Yeah Yeah Yeahs | Album, Sep-30-2022, Indie Rock |
| #17 | Midnights | Taylor Swift | Album, Oct-21-2022, Alt-Pop |
| #18 | Gemini Rights | Steve Lacy | Album, Jul-15-2022, Neo-Soul |
| #19 | Stumpwork | Dry Cleaning | Album, Oct-21-2022, Post-Punk |
| #20 | Diaspora Problems | Soul Glo | Album, Mar-25-2022, Hardcore Punk |
| #21 | Laurel Hell | Mitski | Album, Feb-04-2022, Synthpop |
| #22 | Pompeii | Cate Le Bon | Album, Feb-04-2022, Art Pop |
| #23 | Preacher’s Daughter | Ethel Cain | Album, May-12-2022, Singer-Songwriter |
| #24 | Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You | Big Thief | Album, Feb-11-2022, Indie Folk |
| #25 | Blue Rev | Alvvays | Album, Oct-07-2022, Indie Pop |
| #26 | Being Funny In a Foreign Language | The 1975 | Album, Oct-14-2022, Pop Rock |
| #27 | Angels & Queens - Part I | Gabriels | Album, Sep-30-2022, Soul |
| #28 | Classic Objects | Jenny Hval | Album, Mar-11-2022, Art Pop |
| #29 | Two Ribbons | Let's Eat Grandma | Album, Apr-29-2022, Synthpop |
| #30 | MUNA | MUNA | Album, Jun-24-2022, Synthpop |
| #31 | It's Almost Dry | Pusha T | Album, Apr-22-2022, Gangsta Rap |
| #32 | Remember Your North Star | Yaya Bey | Album, Jun-17-2022, Neo-Soul |
| #33 | Ghosted | Oren AmbarchiJohan BerthlingAndreas Werliin | Album, Apr-15-2022, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #34 | Topical Dancer | Charlotte AdigéryBolis Pupul | Album, Mar-04-2022, Art Pop |
| #35 | Fossora | Björk | Album, Sep-30-2022, Art Pop |
| #36 | We've Been Going About This All Wrong | Sharon Van Etten | Album, May-06-2022, Singer-Songwriter |
| #37 | LOGGERHEAD | Wu-Lu | Album, Jul-08-2022, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #38 | Un Verano Sin Ti | Bad Bunny | Album, May-06-2022, Reggaetón |
| #39 | How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars | The Weather Station | Album, Mar-04-2022, Singer-Songwriter |
| #40 | GOLD | Alabaster Deplume | Album, Apr-01-2022, Spiritual Jazz |
| #41 | Hideous Bastard | Oliver Sim | Album, Sep-09-2022, Alt-Pop |
| #42 | God Save the Animals | Alex G | Album, Sep-23-2022, Indie Rock |
| #43 | Autofiction | Suede | Album, Sep-16-2022, Alternative Rock |
| #44 | PRE PLEASURE | Julia Jacklin | Album, Aug-26-2022, Singer-Songwriter |
| #45 | Endure | Special Interest | Album, Nov-04-2022, Dance-Punk |
| #46 | Cheat Codes | Danger MouseBlack Thought | Album, Aug-12-2022, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #47 | SICK! | Earl Sweatshirt | Album, Jan-14-2022, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #48 | Reason to Smile | Kojey Radical | Album, Mar-04-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #49 | Dirt Femme | Tove Lo | Album, Oct-14-2022, Dance-Pop |
| #50 | Alpha Zulu | Phoenix | Album, Nov-04-2022, Synthpop |