Year-End Lists

Vinyl Me, Please: The Best Albums of 2022

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

• Fast Trax 3
  454
• Centrifics
  Marina Allen
• The Car
  Arctic Monkeys
• Carry it with You
  Attlas
• Renaissance
  Beyoncé
• Welcome to the Block Party
  Priscilla Block
• The Long Way, The Slow Way
  Camp Trash
• Melt My Eyez See Your Future
  Denzel Curry
• Cheat Codes
  Danger Mouse and Black Thought
• Honestly, Nevermind
  Drake
• Sick!
  Earl Sweatshirt
• Frank
  Fly Anakin
• Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022)
  Fred again..
• Cometa
  Nick Hakim
• flora + fana
  Fana Hues
• Gemini Rights
  Steve Lacy
• Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
  Kendrick Lamar
• Everything I Know About Love
  Laufey
• Age/Sex/Location
  Ari Lennox
• Orange 2
  Macula Dog
• Don Malaa
  Malaa
• Jazz Codes
  Moor Mother
• Some Nights I Dream of Doors
  Obongjayar
• Motomami
  Rosalía
• Trouble The Water
  Show Me the Body
• Nymph
  Shygirl
• Harry's House
  Harry Styles
• Natural Brown Prom Queen
  Sudan Archives
• No Rules Sandy
  Sylvan Esso
• And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow
  Weyes Blood

Spencer Kornhaber: The 10 Best Albums of 2022, as published by The Atlantic

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2017]

1. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
2. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
   Big Thief
3. Wet Leg
   Wet Leg
4. Cherry
   Daphni
5. Few Good Things
   Saba
6. Caprisongs
   FKA twigs
7. Gemini Rights
   Steve Lacy
8. Fossora
   Björk
9. Sabiduria
   El Alfa
10. Dawn FM
    The Weeknd

KCRW: The 22 Best Albums of 2022, as selected by staff

[see also 2023 • 2020 • 2018]

1. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
   Kendrick Lamar
1. Wet Leg
   Wet Leg
2. Mahal
   Toro y Moi
3. Topical Dancer
   Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul
4. Excess
   Automatic
5. Some Of Us Are Brave
   Danielle Ponder
6. Prism
   Say She She
7. Black Radio III
   Robert Glasper
8. Reset
   Panda Bear and Sonic Boom
9. Lucifer on the Sofa
   Spoon
10. Thee Sacred Souls
    Thee Sacred Souls
11. Multitude
    Stromae
12. Kumoyo Island
    Kikagaku Moyo
13. Renaissance
    Beyoncé
14. Natural Brown Prom Queen
    Sudan Archives
15. When the Lights Go
    Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
16. Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam
    The Comet Is Coming
17. A Wonderful Letter
    J.Rocc
18. Marchita
    Silvana Estrada
19. Meridian Brothers & El Grupo Renacimiento
    Meridian Brothers
20. YTI⅃AƎЯ
    Bill Callahan
21. Cometa
    Nick Hakim
22. Shape Up
    Leikeli47

Brooklyn Vegan: Top 50 Albums of 2022

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

1. Diaspora Problems
   Soul Glo
2. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
3. Painless
   Nilüfer Yanya
4. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
   Kendrick Lamar
5. Motomami
   Rosalía
6. Un Verano Sin Ti
   Bad Bunny
7. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
   Big Thief
8. I Love You Jennifer B
   Jockstrap
9. Little Green House
   Anxious
10. Hygiene
    Drug Church
11. Dawn FM
    The Weeknd
12. Natural Brown Prom Queen
    Sudan Archives
13. Big Time
    Angel Olsen
14. Remember Your North Star
    yaya bey
15. SOS
    SZA
16. learn 2 swim
    redveil
17. Pigments
    Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn
18. Weather Alive
    Beth Orton
19. The Elephant Man’s Bones
    Roc Marciano and The Alchemist
20. Topical Dancer
    Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul
21. New Lords
    Mindforce
22. Life on Earth
    Hurray for the Riff Raff
23. Blue Rev
    Alvvays
24. Celebrity Therapist
    The Callous Daoboys
25. Endure
    Special Interest
26. Aethiopes
    Billy Woods
26. Church
    Billy Woods
27. Song Of Salvation
    Dream Unending
28. A Light for Attracting Attention
    The Smile
29. Expert in a Dying Field
    The Beths
30. Hiss
    Wormrot
31. Pool Kids
    Pool Kids
32. God Don't Make Mistakes
    Conway the Machine
33. It's Time... To Rise From the Grave
    Undeath
34. American Heartbreak
    Zach Bryan
35. Shape Up
    Leikeli47
36. Sick!
    Earl Sweatshirt
37. God's Country
    Chat Pile
38. 劇變 (Jubian)
    Ripped to Shreds
39. We've Been Going About This All Wrong
    Sharon Van Etten
40. Cool It Down
    Yeah Yeah Yeahs
41. Everything Was Beautiful
    Spiritualized
42. Giant Palm
    Naima Bock
43. The Hum Goes on Forever
    The Wonder Years
44. Wet Leg
    Wet Leg
45. Once Twice Melody
    Beach House
46. The Ailing Facade
    Aeviterne
47. Bothered / Unbothered
    JER
48. Midnights
    Taylor Swift
49. I'm Not Sorry, I Was Just Being Me
    King Hannah
50. Love the Stranger
    Friendship

Adrian Spinelli: Best Albums of 2022, as published by The San Francisco Chronicle

[see also 2023]

• Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
  Kendrick Lamar
• The Jacket
  Widowspeak
• Caprisongs
  FKA twigs
• Motomami
  Rosalía
• Mil Coisas Invisíveis
  Tim Bernardes
• In These Times
  Makaya McCraven

Magnet Magazine: Top 25 Albums of 2022

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

1. Lucifer on the Sofa
   Spoon
2. A Light for Attracting Attention
   The Smile
3. We've Been Going About This All Wrong
   Sharon Van Etten
4. Sometimes, Forever
   Soccer Mommy
5. Versions of Modern Performance
   Horsegirl
6. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
   Big Thief
7. I Don't Know Who Needs To Hear This...
   Tomberlin
8. Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky
   Porridge Radio
9. This Is A Photograph
   Kevin Morby
10. Crystal Nuns Cathedral
    Guided By Voices
10. Tremblers And Goggles By Rank
    Guided By Voices
11. The Bible
    Lambchop
12. Expert in a Dying Field
    The Beths
13. Into the Blue
    Broken Bells
14. Once Twice Melody
    Beach House
15. Wet Leg
    Wet Leg
16. Labyrinthitis
    Destroyer
17. I Walked With You A Ways
    Plains
18. Asphalt Meadows
    Death Cab for Cutie
19. Weather Alive
    Beth Orton
20. I Love You Jennifer B
    Jockstrap
21. How Do You Burn?
    The Afghan Whigs
22. Unison Life
    Brutus
23. Reason in Decline
    Archers of Loaf
24. Motomami
    Rosalía
25. Cruel Country
    Wilco

Flood Magazine: The Best Albums of 2022

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

1. Blue Rev
   Alvvays
2. And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow
   Weyes Blood
3. Natural Brown Prom Queen
   Sudan Archives
4. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
   Big Thief
5. God Save the Animals
   Alex G
6. Wet Leg
   Wet Leg
7. Cheat Codes
   Danger Mouse and Black Thought
8. Reset
   Panda Bear and Sonic Boom
9. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
10. Skinty Fia
    Fontaines D.C.
11. Endure
    Special Interest
12. Skin
    Ho99o9
13. Motomami
    Rosalía
14. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
    Kendrick Lamar
15. Caprisongs
    FKA twigs
16. The Car
    Arctic Monkeys
17. Diaspora Problems
    Soul Glo
18. Big Time
    Angel Olsen
19. Preacher's Daughter
    Ethel Cain
20. The Hum Goes on Forever
    The Wonder Years
21. Sometimes, Forever
    Soccer Mommy
22. Finally, New
    They Hate Change
23. Profound Mysteries
    Röyksopp
24. Mystic Sisters
    City of Caterpillar
25. Jazz Codes
    Moor Mother

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