Year-End Lists

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

Nina Hernandez: The Best Albums of 2022, as published by Chron

1. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
2. Un Verano Sin Ti
   Bad Bunny
3. Gemini Rights
   Steve Lacy
4. Ivory
   Omar Apollo
5. Aguilera
   Christina Aguilera
6. Coping Mechanism
   Willow
7. We've Been Going About This All Wrong
   Sharon Van Etten
8. Jaguar Sound
   Adrian Quesada
9. Ali
   Vieux Farka Touré & Khruangbin
10. Mani/Pedi
    Baby Tate

Chris Richards: Top 10 Albums of 2022, as published by The Washington Post along with a list of singles

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

1. Motomami
   Rosalía
2. SOS
   Straw Man Army
3. Caprisongs
   FKA twigs
4. YTI⅃AƎЯ
   Bill Callahan
5. Mondays at The Enfield Tennis Academy
   Jeff Parker ETA IVtet
6. ¡Ay!
   Lucrecia Dalt
7. No Regular Dog
   Kelsey Waldon
8. Pompeii
   Cate Le Bon
9. Pink Dolphins
   Anteloper
10. EA Monster
    Young Nudy

Beats Per Minute: Top 50 Albums of 2022

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2012]

1. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
   Big Thief
2. Aethiopes
   Billy Woods
3. Ants From Up There
   Black Country, New Road
4. Painless
   Nilüfer Yanya
5. Topical Dancer
   Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul
6. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
   Kendrick Lamar
7. I Love You Jennifer B
   Jockstrap
8. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
9. Diaspora Problems
   Soul Glo
10. And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow
    Weyes Blood
11. A Light for Attracting Attention
    The Smile
12. His Happiness Shall Come First Even Though We Are Suffering
    Backxwash
13. Stumpwork
    Dry Cleaning
14. God's Country
    Chat Pile
15. Cool It Down
    Yeah Yeah Yeahs
16. God Don't Make Mistakes
    Conway the Machine
17. Hellfire
    black midi
18. God Save the Animals
    Alex G
19. Natural Brown Prom Queen
    Sudan Archives
20. Florist
    Florist
21. Caprisongs
    FKA twigs
22. SOS
    SZA
23. Most Normal
    Gilla Band
24. Blue Rev
    Alvvays
25. Fossora
    Björk
26. Melt My Eyez See Your Future
    Denzel Curry
27. Weather Alive
    Beth Orton
28. Endure
    Special Interest
29. Big Time
    Angel Olsen
30. Antidawn
    Burial
31. We've Been Going About This All Wrong
    Sharon Van Etten
32. I Don't Know Who Needs To Hear This...
    Tomberlin
33. Crash
    Charli XCX
34. I Walked With You A Ways
    Plains
35. Nymph
    Shygirl
36. YTI⅃AƎЯ
    Bill Callahan
37. Bad Mode
    Hikaru Utada
38. Church
    Billy Woods
39. Motomami
    Rosalía
40. Labyrinthitis
    Destroyer
41. There Will Be No Super​--Slave
    Ghais Guevara
42. Together
    Duster
43. Hypnos
    Ravyn Lenae
44. Only Love From Now On
    Carmen Villain
45. Visitor
    Empath
46. Pompeii
    Cate Le Bon
47. Storm Queen
    Grace Cummings
48. Versions of Modern Performance
    Horsegirl
49. Sick!
    Earl Sweatshirt
50. Earthing
    Tengger