Year-End Lists

Billboard: Best Albums of 2022

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Un Verano Sin Ti
   Bad Bunny
2. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
3. Midnights
   Taylor Swift
4. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
   Kendrick Lamar
5. Motomami
   Rosalía
6. Harry's House
   Harry Styles
7. Gemini Rights
   Steve Lacy
8. Dawn FM
   The Weeknd
9. Ivory
   Omar Apollo
10. Wet Leg
    Wet Leg
11. Special
    Lizzo
12. It's Almost Dry
    Pusha T
13. Formula, Vol. 3
    Romeo Santos
14. Surrender
    Maggie Rogers
15. Obssesed
    Yahritza y su Esencia
16. Being Funny in a Foreign Language
    The 1975
17. Crash
    Charli XCX
18. Bell Bottom Country
    Lainey Wilson
19. Emails I Can't Send
    Sabrina Carpenter
20. De adentro pa' fuera
    Camilo
21. Blue Water Road
    Kehlani
22. DS4Ever
    Gunna
23. The Car
    Arctic Monkeys
24. Marchita
    Silvana Estrada
25. Caprisongs
    FKA twigs
26. Bronco
    Orville Peck
27. Honestly, Nevermind
    Drake
28. Nostalgia
    Eslabon Armado
29. I Never Liked You
    Future
30. Muna
    Muna
31. Palomino
    Miranda Lambert
32. A Light for Attracting Attention
    The Smile
33. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
    Big Thief
34. Spaceships on the Blade
    Larry June
35. A Beautiful Time
    Willie Nelson
36. Growin' Up
    Luke Combs
37. God Save the Animals
    Alex G
38. Feliz Cumpleaños Ferxxo, Te Pirateamos El Álbum
    Feid
39. Holy Fvck
    Demi Lovato
40. Lindeville
    Ashley McBryde
41. Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022)
    Fred again..
42. Born Pink
    Blackpink
43. Charlie
    Charlie Puth
44. Laurel Hell
    Mitski
45. Wasteland
    Brent Faiyaz
46. Preacher's Daughter
    Ethel Cain
47. Heterosexuality
    Shamir
48. Just Like That...
    Bonnie Raitt
49. American Heartbreak
    Zach Bryan
50. Elvis (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
    various artists

Pitchfork: The 50 Best Albums of 2022

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
2. Natural Brown Prom Queen
   Sudan Archives
3. Blue Rev
   Alvvays
4. Endure
   Special Interest
5. Un Verano Sin Ti
   Bad Bunny
6. Motomami
   Rosalía
7. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
   Big Thief
8. ¡Ay!
   Lucrecia Dalt
9. Remember Your North Star
   yaya bey
10. God Save the Animals
    Alex G
11. Dawn FM
    The Weeknd
12. Fossora
    Björk
13. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
    Kendrick Lamar
14. Janky Star
    Grace Ives
15. I Love You Jennifer B
    Jockstrap
16. Painless
    Nilüfer Yanya
17. Sick!
    Earl Sweatshirt
18. In These Times
    Makaya McCraven
19. Crash
    Charli XCX
20. Pompeii
    Cate Le Bon
21. A Light for Attracting Attention
    The Smile
22. Topical Dancer
    Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul
23. Weather Alive
    Beth Orton
24. Caprisongs
    FKA twigs
25. Cherry
    Daphni
26. Ugly Season
    Perfume Genius
27. Florist
    Florist
28. Aethiopes
    Billy Woods
29. Heaven Come Crashing
    Rachika Nayar
30. Labyrinthitis
    Destroyer
31. Bad Mode
    Hikaru Utada
32. Hypnos
    Ravyn Lenae
33. Being Funny in a Foreign Language
    The 1975
34. Laughing so Hard, it Hurts
    Mavi
35. Boat Songs
    MJ Lenderman
36. Diaspora Problems
    Soul Glo
37. And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow
    Weyes Blood
38. Plonk
    Huerco S.
39. God's Country
    Chat Pile
40. Classic Objects
    Jenny Hval
41. Shebang
    Oren Ambarchi
42. Nothing To Declare
    700 Bliss
43. Laurel Hell
    Mitski
44. Three Dimensions Deep
    Amber Mark
45. Sometimes, Forever
    Soccer Mommy
46. KicK iii
    Arca
47. Expert in a Dying Field
    The Beths
48. Forfolks
    Jeff Parker
49. Ants From Up There
    Black Country, New Road
50. Pripyat
    Marina Herlop

PopMatters: The 80 Best Albums of 2022

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

1. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
2. Fear of the Dawn
   Jack White
2. Entering Heaven Alive
   Jack White
3. A Light for Attracting Attention
   The Smile
4. As Above, So Below
   Sampa the Great
5. Midnights
   Taylor Swift
6. The Power In Us
   Poppy Ajudha
7. The Last Goodbye
   Odesza
8. Hold the Girl
   Rina Sawayama
9. Profound Mysteries
   Röyksopp
10. Ants From Up There
    Black Country, New Road
11. Farm to Table
    Bartees Strange
12. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
    Big Thief
13. Once Twice Melody
    Beach House
14. Wet Leg
    Wet Leg
15. Ultra Truth
    Daniel Avery
16. Stumpwork
    Dry Cleaning
17. Angels & Queens – Part I
    Gabriels
18. The Overload
    Yard Act
19. Motomami
    Rosalía
20. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
    Kendrick Lamar
21. Take It Like a Man
    Amanda Shires
22. Freakout/Release
    Hot Chip
23. Nothing To Declare
    700 Bliss
24. Let's Say for Instance
    Emeli Sandé
25. Hellfire
    black midi
26. Where's The One?
    Congotronics International
27. Life on Earth
    Hurray for the Riff Raff
28. Skinty Fia
    Fontaines D.C.
29. Natural Brown Prom Queen
    Sudan Archives
30. Tableau
    The Orielles
31. Weather Alive
    Beth Orton
32. God Save the Animals
    Alex G
33. Reason to Smile
    Kojey Radical
34. The New Faith
    Jake Blount
35. Melt My Eyez See Your Future
    Denzel Curry
36. Angel in Realtime
    Gang of Youths
37. Breaking The Thermometer
    Leyla McCalla
38. Loggerhead
    Wu-Lu
39. The Loneliest Time
    Carly Rae Jepsen
40. a tape called component system with the auto reverse
    Open Mike Eagle
41. Expert in a Dying Field
    The Beths
42. Greenzone 108
    Greentea Peng
43. Ugly Season
    Perfume Genius
44. Out of Heart
    Flohio
45. Surrender
    Maggie Rogers
46. Queen of Sheba
    Ibrahim Maalouf & Angelique Kidjo
47. I Love You Jennifer B
    Jockstrap
48. Warm Chris
    Aldous Harding
49. En Är För Mycket och Tusen Aldrig Nog
    Dungen
50. Heterosexuality
    Shamir
51. Dance Fever
    Florence + The Machine
52. Giving the World Away
    Hatchie
53. Electricity
    Ibibio Sound Machine
54. Crash
    Charli XCX
55. The Tipping Point
    Tears for Fears
56. Dawn FM
    The Weeknd
57. Ali
    Vieux Farka Touré & Khruangbin
58. This Is A Photograph
    Kevin Morby
59. Classic Objects
    Jenny Hval
60. Teeth Marks
    S.G. Goodman
61. We've Been Going About This All Wrong
    Sharon Van Etten
62. In Amber
    Hercules and Love Affair
63. Cheat Codes
    Danger Mouse and Black Thought
64. Antidawn
    Burial
64. Streetlands
    Burial
65. Blue Rev
    Alvvays
66. Apocalypse Love
    Black Lips
67. Nightroamer
    Sarah Shook & the Disarmers
68. Impera
    Ghost
69. Tilt
    Confidence Man
70. View with a Room
    Julian Lage
71. Holy Fvck
    Demi Lovato
72. Harry's House
    Harry Styles
73. White Jesus Black Problems
    Fantastic Negrito
74. If My Wife New I'd Be Dead
    CMAT
75. Crystal Nuns Cathedral
    Guided By Voices
76. The Alien Coast
    St. Paul & The Broken Bones
77. Crooked Tree
    Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
78. Autofiction
    Suede
79. Get Fucked
    The Chats
80. Few Good Things
    Saba

The Ringer: The 33 Best Albums of 2022

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

1. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
2. Motomami
   Rosalía
3. Aethiopes
   Billy Woods
4. Un Verano Sin Ti
   Bad Bunny
5. Blue Rev
   Alvvays
6. God Save the Animals
   Alex G
7. The Elephant Man’s Bones
   Roc Marciano and The Alchemist
8. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
   Kendrick Lamar
9. Big Time
   Angel Olsen
10. It's Almost Dry
    Pusha T
11. Preacher's Daughter
    Ethel Cain
12. Boat Songs
    MJ Lenderman
13. Expert in a Dying Field
    The Beths
14. The Forever Story
    JID
15. Lucifer on the Sofa
    Spoon
16. Cheat Codes
    Danger Mouse and Black Thought
17. Being Funny in a Foreign Language
    The 1975
18. Soul Sold Separately
    Freddie Gibbs
19. Once Twice Melody
    Beach House
20. Honestly, Nevermind
    Drake
21. Age/Sex/Location
    Ari Lennox
22. King's Disease III
    Nas
23. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
    Big Thief
24. Diaspora Problems
    Soul Glo
25. Laurel Hell
    Mitski
26. A Light for Attracting Attention
    The Smile
27. The Loneliest Time
    Carly Rae Jepsen
28. Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky
    Porridge Radio
29. High School
    Tim Heidecker
30. Spaceships on the Blade
    Larry June
31. a tape called component system with the auto reverse
    Open Mike Eagle
32. Painless
    Nilüfer Yanya
33. Ramona Park Broke My Heart
    Vince Staples

Stereogum: The 50 Best Albums Of 2022

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Blue Rev
   Alvvays
2. Motomami
   Rosalía
3. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
4. Sometimes, Forever
   Soccer Mommy
5. Aethiopes
   Billy Woods
6. God Save the Animals
   Alex G
7. Expert in a Dying Field
   The Beths
8. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
   Big Thief
9. Diaspora Problems
   Soul Glo
10. Dawn FM
    The Weeknd
11. Boat Songs
    MJ Lenderman
12. Gemini Rights
    Steve Lacy
13. Wet Leg
    Wet Leg
14. Lindeville
    Ashley McBryde
15. Versions of Modern Performance
    Horsegirl
16. New Lords
    Mindforce
17. Being Funny in a Foreign Language
    The 1975
18. I Don't Know Who Needs To Hear This...
    Tomberlin
19. Painless
    Nilüfer Yanya
20. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
    Kendrick Lamar
21. Reset
    Panda Bear and Sonic Boom
22. A Light for Attracting Attention
    The Smile
23. Once Twice Melody
    Beach House
24. Giant Palm
    Naima Bock
25. Anywhere But Here
    Sorry
26. Animal Drowning
    Knifeplay
27. Blending
    High Vis
28. Little Green House
    Anxious
29. Everything Was Beautiful
    Spiritualized
30. God's Country
    Chat Pile
31. Muna
    Muna
32. Pompeii
    Cate Le Bon
33. Hygiene
    Drug Church
34. Palomino
    Miranda Lambert
35. Heaven Come Crashing
    Rachika Nayar
36. Bin Reaper 3: Old Testament
    BabyTron
37. In These Times
    Makaya McCraven
38. ILYSM
    Wild Pink
39. sore thumb
    Oso Oso
40. 40 oz. to Fresno
    Joyce Manor
41. The Elephant Man’s Bones
    Roc Marciano and The Alchemist
42. Pool Kids
    Pool Kids
43. Farm to Table
    Bartees Strange
44. Club Godfather
    Bandmanrill
45. And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow
    Weyes Blood
46. The Sun Still Seems To Move
    Shannen Moser
47. Sick!
    Earl Sweatshirt
48. Pigments
    Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn
49. 劇變 (Jubian)
    Ripped to Shreds
50. Big Time
    Angel Olsen

The Bitter Southerner: Best Southern Albums of 2022

[see also 2023]

1. Big Time
   Angel Olsen
2. This Is A Photograph
   Kevin Morby
3. Pigments
   Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn
4. Ghetto Gods
   EarthGang
5. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
6. Teeth Marks
   S.G. Goodman
7. The Forever Story
   JID
8. I Walked With You A Ways
   Plains
9. Boat Songs
   MJ Lenderman
10. American Heartbreak
    Zach Bryan
11. Ali
    Vieux Farka Touré & Khruangbin
12. No Rules Sandy
    Sylvan Esso
13. Sunshine Only Sometimes
    Robert Lester Folsom
14. Boleros Psicodélicos
    Adrian Quesada
15. Revelators
    Revelators Sound System
16. The Social Animals
    Duquette Johnston
17. Not Tight
    Domi and JD Beck
18. Beautiful Mind
    Rod Wave
19. Careening
    Hammered Hulls
20. The Family
    BROCKHAMPTON
21. Only Built for Infinity Links
    Quavo and Takeoff
22. For The Birds
    Neighbor Lady

The Wire: Top 50 Albums of 2022

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

1. ¡Ay!
   Lucrecia Dalt
2. Jazz Codes
   Moor Mother
3. Music For Four Guitars
   Bill Orcutt
4. Shebang
   Oren Ambarchi
5. Living Torch
   Kali Malone
6. Two Sisters
   Sarah Davachi
7. Aethiopes
   Billy Woods
8. Fossora
   Björk
9. Canti di guerra, di lavoro e d'amore
   Silvia Tarozzi & Deborah Walker
10. Wat Dong Moon Lek
    Carl Stone
11. Fragility of Sounds
    various artists
12. Diaspora Problems
    Soul Glo
13. Warm Chris
    Aldous Harding
14. Living Sky
    Sun Ra Arkestra
15. Almanac Behind
    Daniel Bachman
16. Comradely Objects
    Horse Lords
17. Amaryllis
    Mary Halvorson
17. Belladonna
    Mary Halvorson
18. Mondays at The Enfield Tennis Academy
    Jeff Parker ETA IVtet
19. Never Stop Texting Me
    Claire Rousay and More Eaze
20. Broken Gargoyles
    Diamanda Galás
21. The Actress
    Vanessa Rossetto
22. Conduit
    Coby Sey
23. Cry Sugar
    Hudson Mohawke
24. Hostile Architecture
    Ashenspire
25. Versions of Modern Performance
    Horsegirl
26. Paste
    Moin
27. A Light for Attracting Attention
    The Smile
28. Symphonic Tone Poem for Brother Yusef
    Bennie Maupin & Adam Rudolph
29. Occam XXV
    Éliane Radigue & Frédéric Blondy
30. The Eventual Window
    Robert Storey
31. Ima
    Tegh & Adel Poursamadi
32. Lightwork
    Devin Townsend
33. Antiphony of the Trees
    Laura Cannell
34. Chasing the Phantom
    Dewa Alit & Gamelan Salukat
35. Henki
    Richard Dawson & Circle
36. Devotional
    The Lord † Petra Haden
37. The Afrorack
    Afrorack
38. The Elephant Man’s Bones
    Roc Marciano and The Alchemist
39. Psychonautic Escapism
    The Ephemeron Loop
40. Tuqoos
    Julmud
41. Drumming Up Trouble
    Alvin Curran
42. Mirage Colony
    N Chambers
43. Ama Gogela
    Phelimuncasi
44. Say Laura
    Eric Chenaux
45. Bečvou
    Tomáš Niesner
46. FOREVERANDEVERNOMORE
    Brian Eno
47. The Hands of Grace
    Ishmael Reed
48. Ghosted
    Oren Ambarchi / Johan Berthling / Andreas Werliin
49. Fault Lines
    Deliluh
50. Bajascillators
    Bitchin Bajas

Ann Powers: Top 20 Albums Of 2022, as posted by NPR

[see also 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2017 • 2016 • 2011]

1. Outsiders
   Anna Tivel
2. Marchita
   Silvana Estrada
3. I Love You Jennifer B
   Jockstrap
4. Multitude
   Stromae
5. I Ran Down Every Dream
   Tommy McLain
6. Skinty Fia
   Fontaines D.C.
7. Life on Earth
   Hurray for the Riff Raff
8. Breaking The Thermometer
   Leyla McCalla
9. For All Our Days That Tear the Heart
   Jessie Buckley and Bernard Butler
10. Angel in Realtime
    Gang of Youths
11. It Starts with Love
    The Suffers
12. White Trash Revelry
    Adeem the Artist
13. Asha's Awakening
    Raveena
14. Ghost Story
    Fern Maddie
15. Gold
    Alabaster DePlume
16. Ramona Park Broke My Heart
    Vince Staples
17. Microcosmos
    Lou Turner
18. Topical Dancer
    Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul
19. If You Will
    Flora Purim
20. Everything Is Dangerous But Nothing's Surprising
    Body Type
20. Save the Baby
    Enumclaw

This list contributes to:

• NPR Music: Best Albums of 2022

The Line of Best Fit: The Best Albums of 2022 Ranked

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020]

1. Preacher's Daughter
   Ethel Cain
2. And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow
   Weyes Blood
3. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
4. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
   Kendrick Lamar
5. Fossora
   Björk
6. I Love You Jennifer B
   Jockstrap
7. Cheat Codes
   Danger Mouse and Black Thought
8. Motomami
   Rosalía
9. Loggerhead
   Wu-Lu
10. Skinty Fia
    Fontaines D.C.
11. The Overload
    Yard Act
12. Dawn FM
    The Weeknd
13. Gemini Rights
    Steve Lacy
14. Glitch Princess
    yeule
15. Topical Dancer
    Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul
16. Muna
    Muna
17. Crash
    Charli XCX
18. Melt My Eyez See Your Future
    Denzel Curry
19. for you who are the wronged
    Kathryn Joseph
20. Stay Proud of Me
    NoSo
21. The Forever Story
    JID
22. Squeeze
    SASAMI
23. Universal Credit
    Jeshi
24. Rouge Carpet Disaster
    Static Dress
25. Warm Chris
    Aldous Harding
26. Big Time
    Angel Olsen
27. Frank
    Fly Anakin
28. Weather Alive
    Beth Orton
29. Hugo
    Loyle Carner
30. Nymph
    Shygirl
31. In These Times
    Makaya McCraven
32. Riderless Horse
    Nina Nastasia
33. Soul Sold Separately
    Freddie Gibbs
34. You Can’t Kill Me
    070 Shake
35. Hold the Girl
    Rina Sawayama
36. Spiderr
    Bladee
37. Ants From Up There
    Black Country, New Road
38. All Of Us Flames
    Ezra Furman
39. Dirt Femme
    Tove Lo
40. Write Your Name In Pink
    Quinn Christopherson
41. Hysteria
    Indigo Sparke
42. Yesterday Is Heavy
    Lil Silva
43. Tough Baby
    Crack Cloud
44. Regards to the End
    Emily Wells
45. CAZIMI
    Caitlin Rose
46. This Is A Photograph
    Kevin Morby
47. Save the Baby
    Enumclaw
48. Midnights
    Taylor Swift
49. Anywhere But Here
    Sorry
50. Quitters
    Christian Lee Hutson

Mikael Wood: The 20 Best Albums of 2022, as published by The Los Angeles Times

[see also 2023 • 2021]

1. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
2. Motomami
   Rosalía
3. Un Verano Sin Ti
   Bad Bunny
4. Midnights
   Taylor Swift
5. Blue Rev
   Alvvays
6. Big Time
   Angel Olsen
7. Bell Bottom Country
   Lainey Wilson
8. Live at the Bon Soir
   Barbra Streisand
9. Charlie
   Charlie Puth
10. More Love, Less Ego
    Wizkid

10 more not to be missed, in alphabetical order

• Being Funny in a Foreign Language
  The 1975
• The Car
  Arctic Monkeys
• Honestly, Nevermind
  Drake
• Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
  Kendrick Lamar
• Palomino
  Miranda Lambert
• Second Nature
  Lucius
• Self-Titled
  Marcus Mumford
• Ghost Song
  Cécile McLorin Salvant
• Harry's House
  Harry Styles
• Dawn FM
  The Weeknd