Year-End Lists

The Fader: The 50 Best Albums of 2022

[see also 2023 • 2021]

1. Aethiopes
   Billy Woods
2. God Save the Animals
   Alex G
3. Motomami
   Rosalía
4. Natural Brown Prom Queen
   Sudan Archives
5. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
6. Wasteland
   Brent Faiyaz
7. Un Verano Sin Ti
   Bad Bunny
8. Subaru Boys: FINAL HEAVEN
   Cruel Santino
9. Dawn FM
   The Weeknd
10. Extreme
    Molly Nilsson
11. Diaspora Problems
    Soul Glo
12. Soul Sold Separately
    Freddie Gibbs
13. Slut Pop
    Kim Petras
14. I Love You Jennifer B
    Jockstrap
15. Classic Objects
    Jenny Hval
16. Gemini Rights
    Steve Lacy
17. Pompeii
    Cate Le Bon
18. Mr. Money with the Vibe
    Asake
19. ¡Ay!
    Lucrecia Dalt
20. Warm Chris
    Aldous Harding
21. Fossora
    Björk
22. Crest
    Bladee and Ecco2K
23. Harry's House
    Harry Styles
24. Age/Sex/Location
    Ari Lennox
25. Alvvays
    Alvvays
26. Air
    Sault
27. Christina Vantzou, Michael Harrison and John Also Bennett
    Christina Vantzou, Michael Harrison and John Also Bennett
28. The Lead
    FLO
29. Boy Alone
    Omah Lay
30. a tape called component system with the auto reverse
    Open Mike Eagle
31. Simple.
    IDK
32. Some Nights I Dream of Doors
    Obongjayar
33. vKiSS
    dazegxd
34. Feliz Cumpleaños Ferxxo, Te Pirateamos El Álbum
    Feid
35. Most Normal
    Gilla Band
36. Hotel Koko
    Kornél Kovács
37. Ramona Park Broke My Heart
    Vince Staples
38. Heaven Come Crashing
    Rachika Nayar
39. Cotton Candy
    First Hate
40. Fast Trax 3
    454
41. Celebrity Therapist
    The Callous Daoboys
42. Ants From Up There
    Black Country, New Road
43. Trap Kitty
    Young Miko
44. Few Good Things
    Saba
45. Fair Exchange No Robbery
    Nicholas Craven & Boldy James
46. Caprisongs
    FKA twigs
47. Crash
    Charli XCX
48. In These Times
    Makaya McCraven
49. The Villain I Never Was
    Black Sherif
50. Loose Future
    Courtney Marie Andrews

Associated Press: Top Albums 2022

• Renaissance
  Beyoncé
• Dawn FM
  The Weeknd
• Motomami
  Rosalía
• American Heartbreak
  Zach Bryan
• Spaceships on the Blade
  Larry June
• Magic Man
  Jackie Wang
• Sometimes, Forever
  Soccer Mommy
• Before You Go
  Blxst
• The Man From Waco
  Charley Crockett
• Un Verano Sin Ti
  Bad Bunny

NPR: Best Albums of 2022

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
2. Un Verano Sin Ti
   Bad Bunny
3. Motomami
   Rosalía
4. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
   Big Thief
5. Three Dimensions Deep
   Amber Mark
6. Natural Brown Prom Queen
   Sudan Archives
7. In These Times
   Makaya McCraven
8. Gemini Rights
   Steve Lacy
9. The Blue Hour
   Grimes / Negrón / Nova / Shaw / Snider
10. It's Almost Dry
    Pusha T
11. Teeth Marks
    S.G. Goodman
12. God Save the Animals
    Alex G
13. Marchita
    Silvana Estrada
14. Walking in the Dark
    Julia Bullock
15. De todas las flores
    Natalia Lafourcade
16. Few Good Things
    Saba
17. Caprisongs
    FKA twigs
18. Hypnos
    Ravyn Lenae
19. New Standards Vol. 1
    Terri Lyne Carrington
20. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
    Kendrick Lamar
21. Air
    Sault
22. Drone Mass
    Jóhann Jóhannsson
23. Big Time
    Angel Olsen
24. The 7th Hand
    Immanuel Wilkins
25. Nacarile
    iLe
26. Mr. Money with the Vibe
    Asake
27. Snofall
    Jeezy & DJ Drama
28. Marigold
    Alex Isley & Jack Dine
29. ¡Ay!
    Lucrecia Dalt
30. Painless
    Nilüfer Yanya
31. Wet Leg
    Wet Leg
32. imagine naked!
    OHYUNG
33. Blue Rev
    Alvvays
34. Anyways, Life's Great...
    GloRilla
35. Spirit Exit
    Caterina Barbieri
36. Laughing so Hard, it Hurts
    Mavi
37. Nozhet El Nofous
    Nancy Mounir
38. Topical Dancer
    Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul
39. Muna
    Muna
40. Life on Earth
    Hurray for the Riff Raff
41. Sons Of
    Sam Prekop and John McEntire
42. caroline
    caroline
43. Black Radio III
    Robert Glasper
44. Candydrip
    Lucky Daye
45. Ghost Song
    Cécile McLorin Salvant
46. The Forever Story
    JID
47. Plonk
    Huerco S.
48. Lost & Found
    Sean Shibe
49. Diaspora Problems
    Soul Glo
50. Lindeville
    Ashley McBryde

This list summarizes other lists, including these:

• NPR Music: Ann Powers: Top 20 Albums Of 2022
• NPR Music: Bob Boilen: Favorite Music of 2022
• NPR Music: Nate Chinen: Favorite Music of 2022
• NPR Music: Raina Douris: Favorite Music of 2022
• NPR Music: Sheldon Pearce: Top 20 Albums of 2022

DIY Magazine: Albums of 2022

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2016 • 2011]

1. I Love You Jennifer B
   Jockstrap
2. Ants From Up There
   Black Country, New Road
3. Crash
   Charli XCX
4. Skinty Fia
   Fontaines D.C.
5. The Car
   Arctic Monkeys
6. Harry's House
   Harry Styles
7. Wet Leg
   Wet Leg
8. Being Funny in a Foreign Language
   The 1975
9. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
   Big Thief
10. Stumpwork
    Dry Cleaning
11. The Overload
    Yard Act
12. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
    Kendrick Lamar
13. And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow
    Weyes Blood
14. Renaissance
    Beyoncé
15. Blue Rev
    Alvvays
16. Motomami
    Rosalía
17. Hold the Girl
    Rina Sawayama
18. Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life
    Bob Vylan
19. Cub
    Wunderhorse
20. caroline
    caroline

Greg Kot: The Best Albums of 2022, as aired on Sound Opinions

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Please Have a Seat
   Nnamdï
2. We've Been Going About This All Wrong
   Sharon Van Etten
3. Cheat Codes
   Danger Mouse and Black Thought
4. Topical Dancer
   Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul
5. Wet Leg
   Wet Leg
6. Trupa Trupa
   B Flat A
7. Spirituals
   Santigold
8. Stumpwork
   Dry Cleaning
9. Aethiopes
   Billy Woods
9. Church
   Billy Woods
10. Blue Rev
    Alvvays
11. White Jesus Black Problems
    Fantastic Negrito
12. Few Good Things
    Saba
13. Squeeze
    SASAMI
14. The Elephant Man’s Bones
    Roc Marciano and The Alchemist
15. Zone 6, Agege
    K.O.G (Kweku of Ghana)
16. The Last Thing Left
    Say Sue Me
17. A Light for Attracting Attention
    The Smile
18. Heterosexuality
    Shamir
19. Welcome 2 Club XIII
    Drive-By Truckers
20. Blue Skies
    Dehd

Jim DeRogatis: The Best Albums of 2022, as aired on Sound Opinions

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Stumpwork
   Dry Cleaning
2. Wet Leg
   Wet Leg
3. Growing Up
   The Linda Lindas
4. Muna
   Muna
5. Cave World
   Viagra Boys
6. Hour Of The Ox
   Katie Kim
7. Take It Like a Man
   Amanda Shires
8. Welcome 2 Club XIII
   Drive-By Truckers
9. Blue Rev
   Alvvays
10. Special
    Lizzo
11. Everything Was Beautiful
    Spiritualized
12. Laurel Hell
    Mitski
13. Havasu
    Pedro the Lion
14. Radiate Like This
    Warpaint
15. Lucifer on the Sofa
    Spoon
16. Nightroamer
    Sarah Shook & the Disarmers
17. We've Been Going About This All Wrong
    Sharon Van Etten
18. Wild Loneliness
    Superchunk
19. Few Good Things
    Saba
20. Heterosexuality
    Shamir

Raina Douris: Favorite Music of 2022, as posted by NPR, an unranked list

• Chloë and the Next 20th Century
  Father John Misty
• God Save the Animals
  Alex G
• This Is A Photograph
  Kevin Morby
• Summer Of Soul (...Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) [original soundtrack]
  various artists
• Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
  Big Thief
• High School
  Tim Heidecker
• Surrender
  Maggie Rogers
• (watch my moves)
  Kurt Vile
• Storm Queen
  Grace Cummings
• Dawn FM
  The Weeknd

This list contributes to:

• NPR Music: Best Albums of 2022

Chris Willman: The Best Albums of 2022, as published by Variety

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

1. Midnights
   Taylor Swift
2. The Boy Named If
   Elvis Costello & The Imposters
3. Fear of the Dawn
   Jack White
3. Entering Heaven Alive
   Jack White
4. Special
   Lizzo
5. Chloë and the Next 20th Century
   Father John Misty
6. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
7. Wet Leg
   Wet Leg
8. Second Nature
   Lucius
9. God's Work
   LeAnn Rimes
10. Cruel Country
    Wilco

And 10 more highly worthy titles for the road

• Lucifer on the Sofa
  Spoon
• Take It Like a Man
  Amanda Shires
• SOS
  SZA
• Ghost Song
  Cécile McLorin Salvant
• Motomami
  Rosalía
• Self-Titled
  Marcus Mumford
• Black Radio III
  Robert Glasper
• Lindeville
  Ashley McBryde
• Breaking The Thermometer
  Leyla McCalla
• Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
  Kendrick Lamar
• Misadventures Of Doomscroller
  Dawes

Jem Aswad: The Best Albums of 2022, as published by Variety

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019]

1. Motomami
   Rosalía
2. Big Time
   Angel Olsen
3. Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022)
   Fred again..
4. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
   Kendrick Lamar
5. Once Twice Melody
   Beach House
6. Untitled (God)
   Sault
6. Today & Tomorrow
   Sault
6. Earth
   Sault
6. 11
   Sault
6. AIIR
   Sault
7. Age/Sex/Location
   Ari Lennox
8. Softcore
   Fousheé
9. Being Funny in a Foreign Language
   The 1975
10. SOS
    SZA

Might have been in the top 10 on a different day

• Cometa
  Nick Hakim
• I Love You Jennifer B
  Jockstrap
• Wet Leg
  Wet Leg
• Public Displays of Affection: The Album
  Muni Long
• Ali
  Vieux Farka Touré & Khruangbin
• Texas Moon
  Khruangbin

Steven Hyden: Favorite Albums of 2022, as published by Uproxx, even though lists are dumb, which we know. He reluctantly decides there's a tie for the first slot, but click through for a cogent explanation; we'll allow it.

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019]

1. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
   Big Thief
1. Boat Songs
   MJ Lenderman
3. Dawn FM
   The Weeknd
4. Blue Rev
   Alvvays
5. Teeth Marks
   S.G. Goodman
6. Painless
   Nilüfer Yanya
7. ILYSM
   Wild Pink
8. American Heartbreak
   Zach Bryan
9. Easy Listening
   2nd Grade
10. Farm to Table
    Bartees Strange
11. Dripfield
    Goose
12. Bummer Year
    Good Looks
13. MTV
    Mo Troper
14. Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms and Lava
    King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
15. Angel in Realtime
    Gang of Youths