Year-End Lists

Clash Magazine: Albums Of The Year 2022

[see also 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
2. Natural Brown Prom Queen
   Sudan Archives
3. I Love You Jennifer B
   Jockstrap
4. Preacher's Daughter
   Ethel Cain
5. Ramona Park Broke My Heart
   Vince Staples
6. Motomami
   Rosalía
7. Alpha Place
   Knucks
8. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
   Big Thief
9. Surrender
   Maggie Rogers
10. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
    Kendrick Lamar
11. Hideous Bastard
    Oliver Sim
12. Loggerhead
    Wu-Lu
13. It's Almost Dry
    Pusha T
14. Some Nights I Dream of Doors
    Obongjayar
15. Wet Leg
    Wet Leg
16. Midnights
    Taylor Swift
17. Two Ribbons
    Let’s Eat Grandma
18. Cheat Codes
    Danger Mouse and Black Thought
19. Remember Your North Star
    yaya bey
20. This Is What I Mean
    Stormzy
21. Melt My Eyez See Your Future
    Denzel Curry
22. Reason to Smile
    Kojey Radical
23. Ants From Up There
    Black Country, New Road
24. Hold the Girl
    Rina Sawayama
25. Warm Chris
    Aldous Harding
26. Laurel Hell
    Mitski
27. A Light for Attracting Attention
    The Smile
28. Love, Damini
    Burna Boy
29. Soul Sold Separately
    Freddie Gibbs
30. Finally, New
    They Hate Change
31. Skinty Fia
    Fontaines D.C.
32. Fossora
    Björk
33. Giant Palm
    Naima Bock
34. Few Good Things
    Saba
35. Trouble The Water
    Show Me the Body
36. Where I'm Meant To Be
    Ezra Collective
37. Diaspora Problems
    Soul Glo
38. Running In Waves
    George Riley
39. God Save the Animals
    Alex G
40. Blue Rev
    Alvvays
41. Tilt
    Confidence Man
42. Caprisongs
    FKA twigs
43. Supernova
    Nova Twins
44. The Tipping Point
    Tears for Fears
45. Could We Be More
    Kokoroko
46. Unlimited Love
    Red Hot Chili Peppers
47. The Overload
    Yard Act
48. Being Funny in a Foreign Language
    The 1975
49. Gemini Rights
    Steve Lacy
50. Crash
    Charli XCX
51. Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022)
    Fred again..
52. The Loneliest Time
    Carly Rae Jepsen
53. Louie
    Kenny Beats
54. Dawn FM
    The Weeknd
55. Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky
    Porridge Radio
56. Beatopia
    Beabadoobee
57. We've Been Going About This All Wrong
    Sharon Van Etten
58. Nymph
    Shygirl
59. Chloë and the Next 20th Century
    Father John Misty
60. Pripyat
    Marina Herlop

Anthony Fantano: Top 50 Albums of 2022, as posted on his YouTube channel, The Needle Drop

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017]

1. De todas las flores
   Natalia Lafourcade
2. The Forever Story
   JID
3. Cave World
   Viagra Boys
4. Diaspora Problems
   Soul Glo
5. Hellfire
   black midi
6. God Don't Make Mistakes
   Conway the Machine
7. Ants From Up There
   Black Country, New Road
8. Natural Brown Prom Queen
   Sudan Archives
9. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
   Big Thief
10. Marchita
    Silvana Estrada
11. Topical Dancer
    Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul
12. Hostile Architecture
    Ashenspire
13. Baby
    Petrol Girls
14. Darklife
    death’s dynamic shroud
15. Renaissance
    Beyoncé
16. Aethiopes
    Billy Woods
17. God's Country
    Chat Pile
18. White Trash Revelry
    Adeem the Artist
19. Free LSD
    OFF!
20. Meridian Brothers & El Grupo Renacimiento
    Meridian Brothers
21. Everything Was Beautiful
    Spiritualized
22. Super Champon
    Otoboke Beaver
23. I Love You Jennifer B
    Jockstrap
24. Drill Music in Zion
    Lupe Fiasco
25. Too Much to Ask
    Cheekface
26. It's Almost Dry
    Pusha T
27. SOS
    SZA
28. King's Disease III
    Nas
29. Shape Up
    Leikeli47
30. Louie
    Kenny Beats
31. Melt My Eyez See Your Future
    Denzel Curry
32. Caprisongs
    FKA twigs
33. The Loser
    Gospel
34. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
    Kendrick Lamar
35. American Gurl
    Kilo Kish
36. Morbidity Triumphant
    Autopsy
37. Luv 4 Rent
    Smino
38. Once Twice Melody
    Beach House
39. Dawn FM
    The Weeknd
40. Crystalline Exhaustion
    Krallice
41. The Ruby Cord
    Richard Dawson
42. Cheat Codes
    Danger Mouse and Black Thought
43. Age/Sex/Location
    Ari Lennox
44. Hiss
    Wormrot
45. Artificial Brain
    Artificial Brain
46. You Belong There
    Daniel Rossen
47. His Happiness Shall Come First Even Though We Are Suffering
    Backxwash
48. Crest
    Bladee and Ecco2K
49. Forget Your Own Face
    Black Dresses
50. Bothered / Unbothered
    JER

Albumism: The 100 Best Albums of 2022

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017]

1. Midnights
   Taylor Swift
2. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
   Kendrick Lamar
3. Wet Leg
   Wet Leg
4. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
5. Harry's House
   Harry Styles
6. Preacher's Daughter
   Ethel Cain
7. Black Radio III
   Robert Glasper
8. Good Morning Gorgeous
   Mary J. Blige
9. A Light for Attracting Attention
   The Smile
10. Fossora
    Björk
11. Dance Fever
    Florence + The Machine
12. Cheat Codes
    Danger Mouse and Black Thought
13. Take It Like a Man
    Amanda Shires
14. And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow
    Weyes Blood
15. Air
    Sault
16. Humble Quest
    Maren Morris
17. Dawn FM
    The Weeknd
18. Big Time
    Angel Olsen
19. We've Been Going About This All Wrong
    Sharon Van Etten
20. I Don't Know What I'm Doing
    Nerina Pallot
21. Surrender
    Maggie Rogers
22. Hugo
    Loyle Carner
23. Pompeii
    Cate Le Bon
24. Forever
    Phife Dawg
25. Three Dimensions Deep
    Amber Mark
26. Sometimes, Forever
    Soccer Mommy
27. Hawaii
    Pete Yorn
28. Laurel Hell
    Mitski
29. If I Were A Butterfly
    Rayland Baxter
30. Anaïs Mitchell
    Anaïs Mitchell
31. Circles
    Léon
32. Things Are Great
    Band of Heroes
33. King's Disease III
    Nas
34. Two
    Dubstar
35. The Loneliest Time
    Carly Rae Jepsen
36. The Tipping Point
    Tears for Fears
37. Sick!
    Earl Sweatshirt
38. Fragments
    Bonobo
39. Palomino
    Miranda Lambert
40. Papillon de Nuit: The Night Butterfly
    Tanika Charles
41. Palomino
    First Aid Kit
42. STR4TASFEAR
    STR4TA
43. Strange Mornings In the Garden
    The Loyal Seas
44. Fear of the Dawn
    Jack White
45. Angels & Queens – Part I
    Gabriels
46. Gold
    Alabaster DePlume
47. Oh To Be That Free
    Michaela Anne
48. Some Nights I Dream of Doors
    Obongjayar
49. Never Let Me Go
    Placebo
50. Numb
    Lewis Taylor
51. In Real Life
    Mandy Moore
52. Could We Be More
    Kokoroko
53. Earthling
    Eddie Vedder
54. No Fear of Time
    Black Star
55. Brood X
    Leona Naess
56. Wolf Hours
    Minute Taker
57. Prism
    Say She She
58. A Legacy of Rentals
    Craig Finn
59. Masquerade
    Bananarama
60. Moody31
    Lydia Persaud
61. True North
    A-ha
62. Vision Board
    Lyrics Born
63. Sad Cities
    Sally Shapiro
64. Freewheelin' Woman
    Jewel
65. Chloë and the Next 20th Century
    Father John Misty
66. C'mon You Know
    Liam Gallagher
67. NA Meeting
    Lu Chin Chen
68. Unlimited Love
    Red Hot Chili Peppers
69. Two Ribbons
    Let’s Eat Grandma
70. Life In Plastic
    Tom Aspaul
71. Ghosts on Tape
    Blood Red Shoes
72. Back in Black
    Cypress Hill
73. Night Call
    Years & Years
74. Skinty Fia
    Fontaines D.C.
75. Loose Future
    Courtney Marie Andrews
76. White Jesus Black Problems
    Fantastic Negrito
77. Emotional Eternal
    Melody’s Echo Chamber
78. Carry Me Home
    Levon Helm and Mavis Staples
79. Carving Canyons
    Lissie
80. Gemini Rights
    Steve Lacy
81. Just Like That...
    Bonnie Raitt
82. Present Tense
    Yumi Zouma
83. Bloodline Maintenance
    Roy Harper
84. Age/Sex/Location
    Ari Lennox
85. CAZIMI
    Caitlin Rose
86. Weather Alive
    Beth Orton
87. Alpha Zulu
    Phoenix
88. Once Twice Melody
    Beach House
89. No Regular Dog
    Kelsey Waldon
90. Digital Roses Don't Die
    Big K.R.I.T.
91. Home, Before and After
    Regina Spektor
92. Everything Was Beautiful
    Spiritualized
93. Serpentina
    Banks
94. Cool It Down
    Yeah Yeah Yeahs
95. Mahal
    Toro y Moi
96. Pre Pleasure
    Julia Jacklin
97. Cruel Country
    Wilco
98. Vinyl Days
    Logic
99. A Bit of Previous
    Belle and Sebastian
100. Dirt Femme
     Tove Lo

Mesfin Fekadu: The Best Albums of 2022, as published by The Hollywood Reporter

[see also 2023]

1. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
2. SOS
   SZA
3. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
   Kendrick Lamar
4. Heart on My Sleeve
   Ella Mai
5. Harry's House
   Harry Styles
6. Caprisongs
   FKA twigs
7. It's Almost Dry
   Pusha T
8. Girls Night Out
   Babyface
9. Age/Sex/Location
   Ari Lennox
10. Ivory
    Omar Apollo

Honorable mentions

• Un Verano Sin Ti
  Bad Bunny
• Wasteland
  Brent Faiyaz
• The Loneliest Time
  Carly Rae Jepsen
• Public Displays of Affection: The Album
  Muni Long
• Motomami
  Rosalía

Okayplayer: 22 Best Albums of 2022

[see also 2018]

1. The Forever Story
   JID
2. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
3. Gemini Rights
   Steve Lacy
4. Ramona Park Broke My Heart
   Vince Staples
5. Wasteland
   Brent Faiyaz
6. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
   Kendrick Lamar
7. Age/Sex/Location
   Ari Lennox
8. Candydrip
   Lucky Daye
9. Laughing so Hard, it Hurts
   Mavi
10. The Elephant Man’s Bones
    Roc Marciano and The Alchemist
11. Melt My Eyez See Your Future
    Denzel Curry
12. It's Almost Dry
    Pusha T
13. Sick!
    Earl Sweatshirt
14. Honestly, Nevermind
    Drake
15. Broken Hearts Club
    Syd
16. Marigold
    Alex Isley & Jack Dine
17. Kiss The Ring
    Rome Streetz
18. Drill Music in Zion
    Lupe Fiasco
19. Hypnos
    Ravyn Lenae
20. Remember Your North Star
    yaya bey
21. You Still Here, Ho?
    Flo Milli
22. Not Tight
    Domi and JD Beck

Far Out Magazine: The 50 Best Albums of 2022

1. The Overload
   Yard Act
2. At The Hotspot
   Warmduscher
3. Wet Leg
   Wet Leg
4. The Car
   Arctic Monkeys
5. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
   Kendrick Lamar
6. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
   Big Thief
7. Big Time
   Angel Olsen
8. And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow
   Weyes Blood
9. Skinty Fia
   Fontaines D.C.
10. Cool It Down
    Yeah Yeah Yeahs
11. Pre Pleasure
    Julia Jacklin
12. Warm Chris
    Aldous Harding
13. Hugo
    Loyle Carner
14. Stumpwork
    Dry Cleaning
15. A Light for Attracting Attention
    The Smile
16. Everything Was Beautiful
    Spiritualized
17. Laurel Hell
    Mitski
18. Here Is Everything
    The Big Moon
19. Cub
    Wunderhorse
20. Sound Of The Morning
    Katy J Pearson
21. Heart Under
    Just Mustard
22. Oxy Music
    Alex Cameron
23. Blue Rev
    Alvvays
24. This Is A Photograph
    Kevin Morby
25. Wherever You Aren't
    Elizabeth Moen
26. Endless Rooms
    Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
27. God Save the Animals
    Alex G
28. Big Plans for a Blue World
    Wylderness
29. Once Twice Melody
    Beach House
30. Tableau
    The Orielles
31. Hop Up
    Orlando Weeks
32. Classic Objects
    Jenny Hval
33. Fossora
    Björk
34. Sick!
    Earl Sweatshirt
35. Palomino
    First Aid Kit
36. Versions of Modern Performance
    Horsegirl
37. Where I'm Meant To Be
    Ezra Collective
38. Flood
    Stella Donnelly
39. And I Have Been – Benjamin Clementine
    And I Have Been
40. Ants From Up There
    Black Country, New Road
41. Sometimes, Forever
    Soccer Mommy
42. Mahal
    Toro y Moi
43. Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky
    Porridge Radio
44. Tresor
    Gwenno
45. Dancing Dimensions
    Ural Thomas & The Pain
46. Being Funny in a Foreign Language
    The 1975
47. Lucifer on the Sofa
    Spoon
48. I Love You Jennifer B
    Jockstrap
49. Fear Fear
    Working Men's Club
50. Most Normal
    Gilla Band

Gigwise: 51 Best Albums of 2022

[see also 2021 • 2020 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Preacher's Daughter
   Ethel Cain
2. Two Ribbons
   Let’s Eat Grandma
3. Being Funny in a Foreign Language
   The 1975
4. If My Wife New I'd Be Dead
   CMAT
5. Midnights (3am Edition)
   Taylor Swift
6. Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life
   Bob Vylan
7. Skinty Fia
   Fontaines D.C.
8. Crash
   Charli XCX
9. Cool It Down
   Yeah Yeah Yeahs
10. Laurel Hell
    Mitski
11. Supernova
    Nova Twins
12. Muna
    Muna
13. Reeling
    The Mysterines
14. Let The Festivities Begin!
    Los Bitchos
15. Painless
    Nilüfer Yanya
16. Renaissance
    Beyoncé
17. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
    Kendrick Lamar
18. Tilt
    Confidence Man
19. The Overload
    Yard Act
20. Sound Of The Morning
    Katy J Pearson
21. Dance Fever
    Florence + The Machine
22. Congregation
    Witch Fever
23. I Love You Jennifer B
    Jockstrap
24. Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022)
    Fred again..
25. Everything I Know About Love
    Laufey
26. All Of Us Flames
    Ezra Furman
27. Reason to Smile
    Kojey Radical
28. Unlearning
    Walt Disco
29. Anywhere But Here
    Sorry
30. Pre Pleasure
    Julia Jacklin
31. Beatopia
    Beabadoobee
32. Hellfire
    black midi
33. Flood
    Stella Donnelly
34. Motomami
    Rosalía
35. Hold the Girl
    Rina Sawayama
36. Wet Leg
    Wet Leg
37. Lucky Me
    Phoebe Green
38. Hugo
    Loyle Carner
39. Here Is Everything
    The Big Moon
40. Ivory
    Omar Apollo
41. Guitar Music
    Courting
42. And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow
    Weyes Blood
43. No Thank You
    Little Simz
44. Garageband Superstar
    Lauran Hibberd
45. froge.mp3
    Piri & Tommy
46. Melt My Eyez See Your Future
    Denzel Curry
47. This Is What I Mean
    Stormzy
48. Blue Rev
    Alvvays
49. Cave World
    Viagra Boys
50. Chloë and the Next 20th Century
    Father John Misty
51. Self-Titled
    Marcus Mumford

Uproxx Music Critics Poll: Best Albums of 2022, a survey of more than 200 music critics

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018]

1. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
2. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
   Big Thief
3. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
   Kendrick Lamar
4. Dawn FM
   The Weeknd
5. Wet Leg
   Wet Leg
6. Blue Rev
   Alvvays
7. God Save the Animals
   Alex G
8. Motomami
   Rosalía
9. Un Verano Sin Ti
   Bad Bunny
10. Preacher's Daughter
    Ethel Cain
11. It's Almost Dry
    Pusha T
12. Midnights
    Taylor Swift
13. Being Funny in a Foreign Language
    The 1975
14. Ants From Up There
    Black Country, New Road
15. Lucifer on the Sofa
    Spoon
16. Ramona Park Broke My Heart
    Vince Staples
17. Gemini Rights
    Steve Lacy
18. Harry's House
    Harry Styles
19. Farm to Table
    Bartees Strange
20. A Light for Attracting Attention
    The Smile
21. Aethiopes
    Billy Woods
22. Natural Brown Prom Queen
    Sudan Archives
23. Hypnos
    Ravyn Lenae
24. Muna
    Muna
25. Big Time
    Angel Olsen
26. Diaspora Problems
    Soul Glo
27. Angel in Realtime
    Gang of Youths
28. Caprisongs
    FKA twigs
29. Expert in a Dying Field
    The Beths
30. I Walked With You A Ways
    Plains
31. Boat Songs
    MJ Lenderman
32. Honestly, Nevermind
    Drake
33. Painless
    Nilüfer Yanya
34. The Forever Story
    JID
35. ILYSM
    Wild Pink
36. And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow
    Weyes Blood
37. The Loneliest Time
    Carly Rae Jepsen
38. Cruel Country
    Wilco
39. Palomino
    Miranda Lambert
40. Melt My Eyez See Your Future
    Denzel Curry
41. Crash
    Charli XCX
42. Cool It Down
    Yeah Yeah Yeahs
43. Few Good Things
    Saba
44. The Elephant Man’s Bones
    Roc Marciano and The Alchemist
45. God's Country
    Chat Pile
46. Once Twice Melody
    Beach House
47. Laurel Hell
    Mitski
48. Weather Alive
    Beth Orton
49. Stumpwork
    Dry Cleaning
50. Pompeii
    Cate Le Bon

Kitty Empire: 10 Best Albums of 2022, as published by The Observer

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
2. Cheat Codes
   Danger Mouse and Black Thought
3. Laurel Hell
   Mitski
4. (watch my moves)
   Kurt Vile
5. The Car
   Arctic Monkeys
6. YTI⅃AƎЯ
   Bill Callahan
7. Gemini Rights
   Steve Lacy
8. Motomami
   Rosalía
9. Tempus
   Pole
10. Shebang
    Oren Ambarchi

Treble: The 50 Best Albums of 2022

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Aethiopes
   Billy Woods
2. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
   Big Thief
3. Blue Rev
   Alvvays
4. Melt My Eyez See Your Future
   Denzel Curry
5. Weather Alive
   Beth Orton
6. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
7. Myopia
   Mizmor & Thou
8. Pigments
   Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn
9. Big Time
   Angel Olsen
10. Pompeii
    Cate Le Bon
11. A Light for Attracting Attention
    The Smile
12. Cheat Codes
    Danger Mouse and Black Thought
13. Skinty Fia
    Fontaines D.C.
14. ¡Ay!
    Lucrecia Dalt
15. Painless
    Nilüfer Yanya
16. Hygiene
    Drug Church
17. Fossora
    Björk
18. Once Twice Melody
    Beach House
19. Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam
    The Comet Is Coming
20. Panamá 77
    Daniel Villarreal
21. Life on Earth
    Hurray for the Riff Raff
22. Classic Objects
    Jenny Hval
23. And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow
    Weyes Blood
24. Hellfire
    black midi
25. Blending
    High Vis
26. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
    Kendrick Lamar
27. God's Country
    Chat Pile
28. Is It Going To Get Any Deeper Than This?
    The Soft Pink Truth
29. It's Time... To Rise From the Grave
    Undeath
30. In These Times
    Makaya McCraven
31. Florist
    Florist
32. Threshold
    Cloud Rat
33. Heart Under
    Just Mustard
34. Wet Leg
    Wet Leg
35. Null
    KEN mode
36. Versions of Modern Performance
    Horsegirl
37. Jazz Codes
    Moor Mother
38. Dawn FM
    The Weeknd
39. Arkhon
    Zola Jesus
40. Diaspora Problems
    Soul Glo
41. Step on Step
    Charles Stepney
42. Heterosexuality
    Shamir
43. Revelators
    Revelators Sound System
44. Body Prophecy
    Black Magnet
45. Estrela Acesa
    Sessa
46. We've Been Going About This All Wrong
    Sharon Van Etten
47. Sun's Signature
    Sun's Signature
48. Ants From Up There
    Black Country, New Road
49. Building Something Beautiful For Me
    Loraine James
50. Comradely Objects
    Horse Lords