Zachary’s Top 100 Albums of 2022

This is my third year making a Top 100 albums list and the second year I wrote about it for KTXT. Each year, I go through my listening log and look at every single album I heard. If I feel in that one single moment that I enjoyed that album, I throw it into a Word document. This year’s list started with 230 candidate albums in which I pitted each album against each other one at a time saying “ehh, I think this album is slightly better than that album” over and over for each pick until I finally settled on a list I felt proud of. As you go through this lengthy list, I hope you find a new album to your ears that you find enjoyable. If not that, I hope you find an album you liked this year you can point your finger at and say “Hey! I know that one!” There were so many albums I wish I had put on this list, but I max myself out at 100 each year because the writing fatigue is quite heavy after writing about that many albums. Personally, every album on here is great in its own right. 

Once again, here are some honorable mentions that didn’t quite make the top 100 list, but I still wanted to share and send some love towards. They are in no particular order.

Honorable Mentions

Beach House – Once Twice Melody

Released as four separate EPs from November 2021 to February 2022, Once Twice Melody is a lengthy but beautiful journey through dream pop.

Nas – King’s Disease III

While personally, I find this weaker than King’s Disease one and two plus magic, the third King’s Disease project with Nas and Hit-Boy shows that the legendary MC still has gas left in the tank.

Phoenix – Alpha Zulu

An exciting dance-pop record with new wave flair recorded in its entirety at the Louvre during the lockdown. Tonight with Ezra Koenig is one of the best songs of the year.

Duval Timothy – Meeting with a Judas Tree

A beautiful collection of electronic-influenced minimalist jazz pieces reminiscent of some of the best ECM albums by one of my favorite modern jazz pianists.

Flume – Palaces

There are some weak moments in songwriting here, but Flume’s production is near flawless on Palaces. The album has rich soundscapes and lush EDM that only an artist like Flume could do.

ZelooperZ – Get WeT.Radio

Seeing ZelooperZ perform Skinny Dip in concert before the song even came out was one of my favorite experiences of last year. ZelooperZ tries his hand at alt R&B and he succeeds.

Mitski – Laurel Hell

The 80s revival trend is one of my favorite things to happen in music recently, and Mitski does it well on Laurel Hell.

Quadeca – I Didn’t Mean to Haunt You

Simply put: This is a folktronica concept album about a ghost lingering after his suicide, and Danny Brown raps from the perspective of Carbon Monoxide.

Cakes da Killa – Svengali

In a time of hip-house revival with Drake, IDK, and Beyoncé dropping their own house-influenced projects, a veteran of the genre throws his hand into the mix creating club anthems.

Djo – Decide

THE GUY FROM STRANGER THINGS MAKES MUSIC???? Yeah, it’s neo-psych too. What a fun album.

Larry June – Spaceships on the Blade / Larry June, Jay Worthy & LNDN DRGS 2 P’z in a Pod

Larry June has to be up there with Curren$y with how effortless he makes rapping feel. Perfect for the convertible. Perfect for dressing up for a business meeting.

Montell Fish – Jamie / Her Love Still Haunts Me Like a Ghost

Early into Montell’s career, he was touted as a Christian-based R&B singer, and though he’s still proudly a Christian, his music has matured past the for Christians, by Christians-threshold into a hauntingly beautiful collection of bedroom pop and alt R&B songs that can impress the biggest atheists.

Sam Gellaitry – VF VOL II

The sounds created on this album are one of a kind, and I can’t get enough of them.

Gilla Band – Most Normal 

Recommended to me by a bartender, this album sounds like tinnitus, but in a good way?

Phife Dawg – Forever

A beautiful collection of posthumous songs from one of the best MCs from the 90s. An album built with so many emotional ties that can strike a chord with any fan of 90s hip hop.

Jean Dawson – CHAOS NOW*

I knew Jean Dawson had talent, but I kinda pushed him to the side until I heard the singles from this album. Jean Dawson is creating a fusion of Indie Rock, Hip Hop, Pop Punk, and so many other genres like no one else. Even with the punk influences, the music doesn’t feel commercialized like the Travis Barker-based music on the radio and has a real thickness to it that MGK and others are missing.

Spoon – Lucifer on the Sofa

Spoon’s first album in 5 years feels as much a continuation of their modern sound as it feels like a callback to their earlier material that made them so appealing in the first place. I think Spoon has an extremely strong consistency album by album that makes every new project worth checking out, but this might simply be the most enjoyable Spoon album since Transference. Britt Daniel was cooking.

Bakar – Nobody’s Home

A collection of mellow and lonely songs by an up-and-coming UK songwriter.

Special Interest – Endure

Dance Punk can either be really good or really corny. Special Interest holds a tight grasp on really good dance-punk creating loud and heavy punk tracks with electronic influences and groovy rhythms that can blow the speakers of any car aux.

The Cool Kids – Before Sh*t Got Weird / Baby Oil Staircase / Chillout

To hear Sir Michael Rocks and Chuck Inglish rap together with such chemistry again makes me so happy. Their double solo album is also filled with two sides of great music.

Zachary’s Top 100 Albums of 2022

100. Sam Gendel – blueblue [Avant-Garde Jazz]

Sam Gendel’s musical output is on-par with Curren$y and King Gizzard, there is always new music all the time. On blueblue, Sam Gendel finds himself experimenting with sōkyoku and folk-tinged jazz to create a collection of ambient saxophone pieces with Japanese influence. It is mellow and perfect for a late night.

Try Out: Yoko-Jima (横縞, Horizontal Stripes)

99. Ken Carson – Xtended / Destroy Lonely – NS+ (Ultra) [Rage/Trap]

Rage music requires me to be in a certain mood, but when that mood is clicking, I feel that anything is possible. Ken Carson’s X and Destroy Lonely’s NO STYLIST feel like uncontained and raw energy spread across 50 minutes. The Opium label is pushing boundaries on what hip-hop production should sound like creating some of the most exhilarating music out now. 

Try Out: Ken Carson – Freestyle 2 / Destroy Lonely – CRYSTLCSTLES

98. Kevin Morby – This Is a Photograph [Folk Rock/Singer-Songwriter]

I asked my radio co-host Landry what albums I should check out and this was one of the suggestions he sent my way. Kevin Morby’s This Is a Photograph is a deep look into family and nostalgia similar to digging through a photo album and reliving moments from the past. It’s a solid collection of folk rock and chamber pop written by a great lyricist reminiscing on the past.

Try Out: This Is a Photograph

97. Nosaj Thing – Continua [Trip Hop/Downtempo]

I’ve always had respect for Nosaj Thing’s music, but I have always found it a sleepier retelling of better glitch-hop and wonky projects due to the ambient influence his albums carry. The soundscapes he can build are always excellent, but there seems to be nothing else to back up those ideas. Continua finds Jason Chung focusing more on the downtempo elements of his music combining his ambient style with a heavier focus on rhythm and collaborators to create the best album of his career. The album is filled with tons of my favorite artists creating a dense project with some of the best production I have heard this year.

Try Out: We Are (우리는) (feat. HYUKOH)

96. Wiki & Subjxct 5 – Cold Cuts [East Coast Hip Hop/Abstract Hip Hop]

Last year, Wiki released a jazz rap album entirely produced by Navy Blue. This year, Wiki tried his hand at abstract trap with Cold Cuts produced alongside Subjxct 5. The genre fuses what makes artists like Earl Sweatshirt and MIKE so interesting with stronger trap influences on the production side. The project’s lengthy runtime is padded with Wiki and Subjxct 5’s great chemistry finding Subjxct cheering on Wiki at every given moment. The album is a unique take on the genre by combining opposite sides of the hip-hop spectrum into one.

Try Out: One More Chance (feat. Navy Blue)

95. Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers [Conscious Hip Hop]

There is no doubt in my head that Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers is a great album. Kendrick Lamar takes a bold introspective look into Kendrick’s inner psyche. The highlights on this album are on-par with some of Kendrick’s best songs such as Father Time and Mother I Sober, but I find this project as a whole weaker than a majority of Kendrick’s output throughout his career. It’s clearly a great album by Kendrick 5 years since DAMN., but personally, it came and went without much fanfare. 

Try Out: Father Time (feat. Sampha)

94. Sam Wilkes & Jacob Mann – Perform the Compositions of Sam Wilkes & Jacob Mann [Nu Jazz]

Sam Wilkes is one of my favorite modern-day bassists. Jacob Mann is an excellent keyboardist. Together, they create a spacious downtempo-influenced nu-jazz record that has me floating in space for its 40-minute run time. It is another of those late-night jazz records that I seem to find myself talking about quite often.

Try Out: Siri, How Do I Know If I Have Commitment Issues

93. Immanuel Wilkins – The 7th Hand [Post-Bop]

The 7th Hand is like two albums to me. The first 6 tracks are the closest we have gotten since the late-60s toward a new Blue Note post-bop release. The quartet finds themselves creating groovy and exhilarating jazz music without having to dip too heavily into nu-jazz or avant-garde jazz moments. However, on the closing track, Lift, the quartet leaves behind the post-bop in favor of a breathtaking 26-minute-long spiritual jazz piece reminiscent of Sun Ra and Pharoah Sanders. Two separate sides of a fantastic jazz project by Immanuel Wilkins and crew.

Try Out: Fugitive Ritual, Selah

92. Quavo & Takeoff – Only Built for Infinity Links [Trap/Southern Hip Hop]

Culture was a game changer in the world of trap, Culture 2 was a bloated mess, the Migos solo albums were a mixed bag, and Culture 3 had the highs of Culture and lower lows than Culture 2. To see Offset suddenly separate himself from the trio left Quavo and Takeoff behind as a duo. They decided to take this moment to show off their chemistry as a duo, and I think it paid off. Offset was always the best of the three as an all-around rapper, but Quavo had the hooks and Takeoff had the bars. Only Built for Infinity Links shows that in the current landscape of the Migos, Takeoff and Quavo flow better as a duo. Songs like Bars Into Captions and HOTEL LOBBY (Unc & Phew) find the duo’s chemistry off the charts as they bounce back and forth verse after verse. It is such a shame after enjoying this project so much to see Takeoff pass just as the two of them were finding success as a duo. RIP Takeoff.

Try Out: Bars Into Captions

91. Cate Le Bon – Pompeii [Art Pop]

Cate Le Bon’s influence on me grows album after album, and Pompeii is one of the first ones to really have a grasp on me. Compared to Cate’s previous albums, Pompeii is one of the first to experiment with some new-wave flair to it. Her vocals have always been lovely, but the production here and the general aesthetic of the project seemed to build a stronger connection to the music, and this album continues to pull out great song after great song.

Try Out: French Girls

90. billy woods – Aethiopes / billy woods x Messiah Musik – Church [Abstract Hip Hop]

To me, billy woods is a poet that happens to also sound pretty nice over hip-hop beats. Every song he writes has so many deep layers of allusions and hidden meanings creating a cryptic poem track after track. billy woods songs could be printed out, handed to a college-level English class, and asked to be filled with annotations. Aethiopes finds billy woods working strictly with producer Preservation and Church has him working with Messiah Musik. His best music occurs when he keeps his circles smaller like Hiding Places with Kenny Segal or Haram with Elucid and The Alchemist. These albums are no exceptions.

Try Out: Sauvage (feat. Boldy James & Gabe ‘Nandez)

89. Kaelin Ellis – THE FUNK WILL PREVAIL [Instrumental Hip Hop/Funk]

When I got the opportunity to interview Kaelin Ellis at HOODOO Festival in Amarillo, the interview turned into me fanboying over Kaelin’s artistry and specifically his new album THE FUNK WILL PREVAIL. The album is 14 tracks long at just under 23 minutes. Each track comes in with so much firepower and never overstays its welcome. You can hear the musicianship on each track. The drums are authentic and the grooves are authentic. It feels less like a beat tape and more like a short jam session track after track, and that’s what makes it so exhilarating every listen.

Try Out: CATS GROOVE (feat. Tony Rosenberg)

88. Maggie Rogers – Surrender [Pop Rock]

I friggin love Maggie Rogers! This is simply one of the pop-rock albums of the year. Maggie seems to have a talent for creating catchy choruses alongside the great productions that follow her everywhere she goes.

Try Out: That’s Where I Am

87. Asake – Mr. Money With The Vibe [Afrobeats]

There were tons of great afrobeat albums this year with heavy hitters like Burna Boy, Fireboy DML, and Wizkid dropping and newcomers like Omah Lay and CKay who all dropped solid summertime anthems, but Asake’s debut album impressed me the most. Each track is crafted with an infectious hook and gorgeous melodies. Asake has seemed to figure it out on the first try.

Try Out: Peace Be Unto You (PBUY)

86. $ilkMoney – I Don’t Give a F*ck About This Rap Sh*t, Imma Just Drop Until I Don’t Feel Like It Anymore [Hardcore Hip Hop]

$ilkMoney’s drop schedule has revolved around him saying that the next time he tweets, an album will be announced. He then goes offline for months on end and suddenly announces an album is releasing that same day. He also loves to give his album titles extremely long names like a Japanese light novel. His debut album featured a more vulgar style of hip hop, but the deeper $ilk has traveled into his solo career, he finds himself digging deeper into more political hip hop while simply just getting weirder and more eccentric than ever. This time $ilkMoney finds himself combining the hilarious lyrics that he got popular from with his political commentary. The album is addictive and loud. It sounds like Busta Rhymes was making abstract hip hop and it is incredible.

Try Out: One Glazed and One With the Jelly Filled Nucleus

85. Smino – Luv 4 Rent [Pop Rap/Alternative R&B]

Smino’s delivery paired with Monte Booker’s wonky production style has encouraged a more quirky sound, and Luv 4 Rent finally sees Smino fully embracing that style creating a fusion of alternative r&b, hip hop, and soul that is playful and bouncy. Smino’s sound seems to have fully matured here allowing for a psychedelic and fun album that never takes itself too seriously. Smino seems like he can’t be held down or contained on this album, and I don’t really want him to be either.

Try Out: Pro Freak (feat. Doechii & Fatman Scoop)

84. Ojerime – Bad Influence [Alternative R&B]

Something about Ojerime’s sound is so infectious to me. Her music gives a moody ambiance that captivates me throughout this project’s runtime. Something about her style on this project feels retro but modern and I cannot quite put my finger on it. Her sound is fresh and she is one of the best in the UK R&B scene right now.

Try Out: Often Enough

83. Ravyn Lenae – Hypnos [Contemporary R&B/Neo-Soul]

Hypnos is one of those albums where you complement both the vocalist and the production. Ravyn Lenae’s voice on Hypnos is beautiful. She has this soft-spoken charm to her that is warm and bubbly. It is crazy to think this is her debut record when she has been killing the feature game for years. On the other side of the coin, Hypnos has this dance-influenced R&B sound that absolutely rocks. Producers like KAYTRANADA, Sango, and IAMNOBODI create micro-dance bangers throughout the project. When the dance-R&B isn’t ongoing Steve Lacy and others handle the other tracks that carry a strong neo-soul influence. This is a fantastic project.

Try Out: Skin Tight (feat. Steve Lacy)

82. Working Men’s Club – Fear Fear [Synthpop/New Rave]

My dad lived during a time when he would go to clubs and they would play New Order, Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, and other similar acts in their mixes regularly. Fear Fear is as close as I am going to get to live a similar experience. The group’s deadpan lyrics over the synth-heavy production and heavy basslines feel like a throwback to what it is like to go clubbing in the 80s.

Try Out: Ploys

81. The Smile – A Light for Attracting Attention [Art Rock]

Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood return making a “Radiohead Ehh Kinda” album that may not constantly reach the highest highs of their previous endeavors but still is a solid project nonetheless. Here, the group seems to find themselves pulling away from their electronic sound and returning to more rock-influenced indie, and it is a welcome change. 

Try Out: Thin Thing

80. The Beths – Expert in a Dying Field [Power Pop]

I am always excited for some new music by The Beths and Expert in a Dying Field is a really exciting collection of power pop tunes. The band never finds themselves digging into deep and complex songs, and I think it works in their favor to create a solid project of catchy tunes and rocking guitar melodies. You just know this group is talented.

Try Out: When You Know You Know

79. PVA – BLUSH [Futurepop]

I found PVA when I was asked to review their debut EP for the website during my freshman year. Their dance-punk sound was super addictive on first listen and I was excited to hear a full project from the group. BLUSH is an extremely different direction from their Toner EP, and I don’t have an issue with it. Ella Harris’s dark and deadpan vocals pair extremely well with the atmospheric and moody synths. The album feels pretty adventurous for an electronic project and is never afraid to steer into different sub-genres of dance and punk with moments of house and electroclash being scattered throughout the project’s 43 minutes.

Try Out: Bunker

78. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down [Indie Rock]

I would have never expected the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to come back from their hiatus with new music after Karen O found success as a solo artist and the band halted their career with some of their worst music. Cool It Down puts the band back on top. Karen O and crew find themselves a little more mellowed out than before, but when you reach a certain level of maturity, it is just where the ideas steer. The album is short, but the 8-track project leads into a quality-over-quantity style that adds more prominence to each track on the album.

Try Out: Spitting Off the Edge of the World (feat. Perfume Genius)

77. Stormzy – This Is What I Mean [Contemporary R&B/UK Hip Hop]

If you gave me a choice between Stormzy dropping another grime album or letting Stormzy release an R&B record, I think I would pick another grime record any day of the week. I am glad they didn’t ask for my opinion before making This Is What I Mean. Stormzy’s warm vocals lighten this record up, especially with vocalists like Debbie and Songstress accompanying him on multiple tracks throughout the project. Jacob Collier helped in writing the melodies, and between this album and SZA’s Good Days, he should never make solo music again and focus strictly on collaborations. The album is warm and feels like a tight hug. It also might simply have my favorite opening track of the year.

Try Out: Firebabe

76. Obijuan & Yungmorpheus – Slang Casino [Abstract Hip Hop]

Obijuan was pretty cool and interesting when he was rapping over lofi hip hop beats, but he did a complete overhaul recently switching to abstract hip hop, and it works well for him. Yungmorpheus shows off his producing chops while Obijuan delivers short solid tracks one after another. I always welcome artists trying new things, and Obijuan sounds like a completely different artist on Slang Casino. I love it.

Try Out: Spliffholder (feat. Yungmorpheus & Looms.)

75. Animal Collective – Time Skiffs [Neo-Psychedelia]

If you take how I felt about the Spoon album and added Animal Collective’s name instead, that is truly all I need to do on this review. Animal Collective’s work entering the 2010s feels more focused on creating a drone-heavy atmosphere than creating the catchy psychedelic pop that made the band so much fun, to begin with. Time Skiffs seems to focus on the songs first and adds the droning interludes as segues which seems to truly work better. This album seems to combine the best pieces of their eras as a band into one cohesive record. It’s like the Animal Collective you’ve been missing.

Try Out: Prester John

74. MJ Lenderman – Boat Songs [Alt-Country]

I love recommendations. If someone recommends me a project most times, I will listen to it the night of. Boat Songs was one of those albums. I truly don’t know how to describe this project. Boat Songs has a stronger country sway than most alt-country albums, but still has a strong alternative presence to it. There’s a folky influence to the music and it just feels like music among friends opening up to each other about their lives.

Try Out: TLC Cage Match

73. Tourist – Inside Out [Progressive House]

As a huge downtempo fan, if Tourist ever tries to put out another downtempo album when he can make incredible house music, I will personally have a conversation with him. This is one of those dance albums you have a euphoric experience listening to. It feels like a future garage album with a stronger focus on house elements and it works. This album restarted my love of dance music just before the summer started.

Try Out: Your Love

72. The Weeknd – Dawn FM [Synthpop/Dance-Pop]

Abel loves to bounce around in different directions with his music. After playing around with synthpop and 80s pop revival on his last project, The Weeknd decides to jump headfirst into the dance elements on his last project to make the opposite side of the After Hours coin. Getting artists like Swedish House Mafia and Calvin Harris to produce several tracks to commit fully to creating dance bangers while Daniel Lopatin continues into the 80s throwback on the rest of the album. Also, the after-life radio station is pretty nifty, but it spooks me out!!!

Try Out: Sacrifice

71. Winter – What Kind of Blue Are You? [Dream Pop]

Dream pop is a beautiful genre. What Kind of Blue Are You? is an addictive modern-day take on the genre. Winter’s vocals throughout this project are incredible and it is so easy to get trapped in a trance by her melancholic presence throughout this project. 

Try Out: Atonement (feat. Hatchie)

70. Bandmanrill – Club Godfather [Jersey Drill]

I don’t know if he was truly the first artist to invent the genre, but for Bandmanrill to decide that he should rap over Jersey club beats was genius. Each track takes no time to come out swinging with a sample-heavy beat that Bandmanrill charismatically slides across over and over. Though the production is addictive, the tracks wouldn’t have half the power they have if it was for Bandmanrill’s presence on every track. It is like you can hear him grinning through the microphone.

Try Out: Real Hips

69. MorMor – Semblance [Indie Pop]

To see MorMor release the first album four years deep into his career makes me happy. His first two EPs were beautiful displays of songwriting and indie pop. Semblance shows those same ideas stretched across a full-length project with bittersweet emotions on display.

Try Out: Don’t Cry

68. Soccer Mommy – Sometimes, Forever [Indie Rock]

Sophie has consistently impressed me with her singer-songwriter-based indie pop in her past projects, but here she switches over to indie rock with the help of Daniel Lopatin (the same one who worked on Dawn FM). Here, Sophie finds herself digging with elements of shoegaze and jangle pop, but her intricate songwriting remains the same. She is as impressive as ever.

Try Out: Shotgun

67. Ari Lennox – age/sex/location [Neo-Soul]

Ari Lennox makes smart R&B. She’s thoughtful with her lyrics and dives deeper into more introspective pieces in her projects. ASL is such a smooth soul project with Ari Lennox in complete control of the ideas and concepts the listener gets to hear. Specifically, the track Boy Bye finds Ari Lennox and Lucky Daye trading verses with a lot of tongue-in-cheek spoken word interludes throughout that feel extremely creative and smart.

Try Out: Boy Bye (feat. Lucky Daye)

66. Denzel Curry – Melt My Eyez See Your Future (The Extended Edition) [Conscious Hip Hop]

What really works on this album are the jazz elements integrated into tracks like Melt Session #1, Angelz, and The Ills created some of my favorite Denzel Curry songs in years. The trapper songs on here are still pretty great, but I really wish Denzel doubled down on the jazz rap here because he is simply just so good at it. The Extended Edition with a 10-track long live jazz session version tracks is what really uplifts this album even more. The songs seem to work better with the live instrumentation and revitalized my love for some of the tracks on this project.

Try Out: The Ills

65. Ka – Languish Arts / Woeful Studies [Drumless/Conscious Hip Hop]

I feel embarrassed to say one of my first memories of listening to Ka was when I was playing Toontown Rewritten after midnight listening to Honor Killed the Samurai and Orpheus vs. the Sirens. Ka is not Toontown music by any means, but he will forever be linked to Toontown to me. I have nowhere else to share this information, so I decided this was the place to do it. Speaking of the actual music, I don’t have much more to add to this double album that I haven’t said previously about other Ka albums, but his lyricism is unmatched, and Ka is one of the best in the drumless genre.

Try Out: We Hurting

64. WEMA – WEMA [East African Music]

Photay takes his masterful electronic production style and fuses it with Msafiri Zawose, an artist from Tanzania, and the Afro-Cuban jazz trio Penya. Together, the five artists create a unique east African album filled with masterful production and vocals from Msafiri. The project is extremely innovative in combining plenty of different styles into one and it is one of the most exciting listens from this year.

Try Out: PEPOTE PT. 2

63. Toro y Moi – MAHAL [Psychedelic Soul]

Chaz Bundick has never released the same project twice. On MAHAL, Chaz creates a cohesive collection of the psychedelic soul with some serious funk throughout it. The album structures itself as a flipping through music during a long car ride, and it makes for some of my favorite driving music released this year. It is colorful and tons of fun. The bass here is also ridiculously groovy. What a great summer project. 

Try Out: Millennium (feat. The Mattson 2)

62. Bartees Strange – Farm to Table [Indie Rock]

Bartees Strange cannot be held down to one genre. On Farm to Table, it seems like Bartees Strange is trying something different on every track, but it seems to work 9 times out of ten. Listening to this album while driving through the Hill Country of Texas has attached such an emotional connection to a few tracks on this album that it was definitely making this list.

Try Out: Escape This Circus

61. ELIZA – A Sky Without Stars [Neo-Soul/Downtempo]

I am all in favor of artists who make extremely mediocre pop music realizing they can make great r&b and rebranding their entire shtick. Originally, Eliza Doolittle found herself creating the most soulless Lily Allen-based sunshine pop that you cannot help but feel was manufactured by label executives. 12 years later, ELIZA is creating downtempo-influenced neo-soul perfect for the late hours of the night. Her laidback and nocturnal cadence allows for deeper introspection and thoughtful lyricism miles above anything from her initial work. The album is understated and subtle, but hypnotic and calming. 

Try Out: A Tear for the Dreadful

60. Quelle Chris – Deathfame [Abstract Hip Hop]

Quelle Chris doesn’t stop working and Deathfame is another piece to his abstract hip-hop collection. Quelle’s delivery here is quirky and deadpan and continues his track record of putting out solid hip-hop projects even after following up some of the best projects of his career.

Try Out: Alive Ain’t Always Living

59. redveil – Learn 2 Swim [Jazz Rap]

The biggest issue I have with redveil is that this guy has been absolutely cooking, and he’s three years younger than me. He is crushing my dreams. Learn 2 Swim finds redveil expanding on what made Niagara a great project by continuing to self-produce the entire album but expanding his lyricism deeper. The album feels like floating underwater in a pool with no one around.

Try Out: pg baby

58. Future – I Never Liked You [Trap/Southern Hip Hop]

In a few words: This album deserved that Grammy nomination.

Try Out: PUFFIN ON ZOOTIEZ

57. ODESZA – The Last Goodbye / NO.SLEEP – Mix.13 [Electronic Dance Music]

I don’t care how “over-produced” this may sound. ODESZA’s The Last Goodbye is an epic EDM album filled with large drops and huge soundscapes. It feels grandeur and I love the festival sound that this project carries. I could climb a mountain to this album.

Try Out: The Last Goodbye (feat. Bettye LaVette)

56. Steve Lacy – Gemini Rights [Neo-Soul/Bedroom Pop]

If any artist is gonna achieve major success, I am glad it is Steve Lacy simply from the fact that I was on the Apollo XXI defense team for three years. THREE YEARS. Gemini Rights has a more coherent direction compared to his debut but has a strong bittersweet sentiment throughout. Steve Lacy comes across with a more raw and breathy tone compared to his earlier work. It’s a great step forward for Steve.

Try Out: Sunshine (feat. Fousheé)

55. Natalia Lafourcade – De todas las flores [Singer-Songwriter/Chamber Folk]

I love all the different variations in the music on this album. Some tracks dive deeper into chamber folk while others cross into samba and vocal jazz. A thoroughly impressive body of work from a Grammy winner. This is truly a beautiful project, and throughout the album’s runtime, it is easy to just melt into the music.

Try Out: Canta la arena

54. FKJ – V I N C E N T [Neo-Soul]

FKJ’s self-titled album has built such a strong connection with me, I think this album was bound to fail from the start if it was trying to live up to the first project. However, V I N C E N T shoots for a warmer and tropical sound compared to the debut and it works out in FKJ’s favor creating another soothing and peaceful listen.

Try Out: Can’t Stop (feat. Little Dragon)

53. Ghais Guevara – There Will Be No Super-Slave [Political Hip Hop]

This album feels rapid fire and every track takes no time to start up. Every instrumental here contains so many different elements throughout that make the project so exhilarating to listen to and so extremely dense. Ghais Guevara’s lyrics are passionate and aggressive, and it just works. Spongebob samples and deep political messages go hand-in-hand. I don’t care, this is great.

Try Out: This Ski Mask Ain’t For COVID

52. Cities Aviv – MAN PLAYS THE HORN / “Working Title for the Album Secret Waters” [Experimental Hip Hop/Abstract Hip Hop]

Cities Aviv released two fantastic albums this year. I really cannot decide which one I liked more. MAN PLAYS THE HORN is nearly two hours and is filled with some of the coolest hypnotic-influenced hip-hop I have ever heard and it never loses its power for the two hours simply from how ethereal the music is and how great Cities Aviv sounds on the project. “Working Title for the Album Secret Waters” is denser at around 47 minutes. He takes similar concepts from THE HORN and pounds them into an easier listen. However, both albums have their benefits therefore both win a spot together.

Try Out: CINEMA CLUB

51. SZA – SOS [Contemporary R&B]

I thought SOS was quite bloated at first, but it turns out I was only lying to myself and was stressed out about my finals. SOS is an excellent collection of R&B with SZA feeling more confident than ever. There are songs on the dreamier side and songs that could classify as bangers, and I think that’s one of its biggest strengths. Songs for every mood and songs for every emotion.

Try Out: Gone Girl

50. Curren$y & The Alchemist – Continuance [Southern Hip Hop/Jazz Rap]

Curren$y dropped so many projects in 2021 that I was worried about the fatigue before going into this album. Curren$y and The Alchemist work so well as a duo that this album overpowers the best songs on every 2021 project combined. Every beat feels perfectly crafted by ALC and Curren$y just seems to flow perfectly on each track. Peak convertible music.

Try Out: Whale Watching (feat. Styles P)

49. MIKE – Beware of the Monkey [Abstract Hip Hop]

This would simply rank higher if I had more time to sit with it. MIKE seems to dig into some vaporwave elements on a few tracks here to give it a dedicated feeling of hypnagogic psychedelia. I really like his confidence and sound on this project especially after going through some tough times.

Try Out: Closing Credits

48. Little Simz – NO THANK YOU [Conscious Hip Hop]

I swear I am not a broken record, but this would simply rank higher if I had more time to sit with it. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert was one of the best albums I heard last year, and this seems like a more minimal continuation of some of those ideas. Info, Cleo Sol, and Simz seem to continue on the concepts explored on the SAULT albums from this year (foreshadowing) by combining neo-soul and conscious hip hop with gospel elements and orchestral arrangements. The album is another powerful project and Little Simz cannot stop winning.

Try Out: Gorilla

47. Mavi – Laughing So Hard, It Hurts [Abstract Hip Hop]

Let the Sun Talk is one of my favorite abstract hip-hop albums. With Mavi’s EP in 2021 and a few singles here and there, I was worried he would not be able to reach the same highs as his last full-length album. I was wrong. Diving into more neo-soul roots, Laughing So Hard, It Hurts balances poetic songwriting with top-notch lyricism filled with philosophy and introspection. 

Try Out: Chinese Finger Trap

46. Jeshi – Universal Credit [Conscious Hip Hop]

Some albums go from “Sure, I’ll check this out” to me finding myself completely addicted to an album for a few weeks. Universal Credit seems to balance fun bangers with darker and more lyrically in-depth tracks throughout with some tracks fusing some elements of electronic as well. There is a lot of talent to be found in this project, and I am so glad I gave this project a listen. 

Try Out: Protein (feat. Obongjayar)

45. Westside Gunn – 10 [East Coast Hip Hop]

At this point, Westside Gunn can get anyone on his next album. Hitler Wears Hermes 10 is a fantastic collection of hip-hop greats all in one place. From featuring Doe Boy and Jay Worthy to having features from legends like Black Star, Busta Rhymes, Ghostface Killah, and Raekwon, Westside Gunn seems to be one of the best music curators out there. There is some seriously great hip-hop on here.

Try Out: Pepes (feat. Black Star)

44. Metro Boomin – Heroes & Villains [Trap/Southern Hip Hop]

Heroes & Villains is one step away from being a trap-influenced movie score. Metro Boomin is a step above nearly every producer in the same lane as him, being able to create some of the most cinematic trap songs I have ever heard. The opening track with John Legend transitioning into one of the hardest beats I have heard all year with a great verse from Future on top of it is incredible. Most of the artists on this project do their thing, and I can’t say anything other than I am in love. This is a movie.

Try Out: Superheroes (Heroes & Villains) [feat. Future & Chris Brown]

43. Makaya McCraven – In These Times [Jazz Fusion]

Makaya McCraven is a producer as much as he is a jazz musician. Here, Makaya interpolates jazz sessions rooted in the sounds of jazz fusion and funk to build into new tracks that give the tracks a more hip-hop-oriented feeling to them while still feeling strictly jazz. It feels like making a beat tape with a full jazz band.

Try Out: Dream Another

42. Avantdale Bowling Club – TREES [Jazz Rap]

Tom Scott makes the music I dream of making one day. TREES is only the second album released under the Avantdale Bowling Club moniker. On their debut, it felt as though Tom Scott was rapping on top of a full jazz band while on TREES, the band seems to be accompanying Tom. Tom is still lyrically at the top of his game and has moments of slam poetry style delivery on a few tracks, and thematically as a whole creates an excellent jazz rap album.

Try Out: Still Feel Broke

41. Bad Bunny – Un verano sin ti [Reggaetón]

I knew this album was good on first listen, but it didn’t click with me until I was on my family cruise where this album was playing everywhere you looked in the Caribbean. The cruise ship would bump tracks like Tití me preguntó and Después de la playa regularly, and you just have to respect the artistry here first and foremost. Secondly, this album smacks. There are so many different sounds Bad Bunny shoots with on here, and he seems to knock each one out of the park. This is one of those albums that you can pick any track off of and it’ll get the party going. This is damn good.

Try Out: Después de la playa

40. Kokoroko – Could We Be More [Jazz-Funk]

I have been praying for a full length after hearing Baba Ayoola for the first time, and Could We Be More is a fantastic debut from the England jazz ensemble. Pulling elements from afrobeat and afro-jazz, Kokoroko seems to have mastered their own lane of jazz-funk, and I love the sounds coming from the group. The album is filled with uplighting and warm summertime sounds, and I am just excited to see the group finally released a full-length project.

Try Out: Something’s Going On

39. Rosalía – MOTOMAMI [Neoperreo/Art Pop]

Everything I said about Bad Bunny can apply here, but this album is 10 times quirkier and weirder. Rosalía tests the water with different genres and finds herself succeeding everywhere along the way. The deluxe has even more bangers. Rosalía is a pop star.

Try Out: Candy

38. Florist – Florist [Indie Folk]

I really enjoy how mellow this album is. Its fusion of ambient with indie folk creates a really soothing and calm atmosphere and I just find it relaxing when I listen to this. The interludes really help create the ambiance of the album, and I think Emily’s vocal presence really works well with the mood of the project. It is very poetic.

Try Out: Sci – fi Silence

37. Lupe Fiasco – Drill Music in Zion [Conscious Hip Hop]

The opening verse to ON FAUX NEM in its entirety reads: Rappers die too much. That’s it, that’s the verse.” It serves as a powerful reflection of the countless lives lost in hip hop these past few years and that’s a great representation of the creativity and complexion of Lupe’s lyricism throughout Drill Music in Zion. Compared to the nearly 100-minute DROGAS Wave, Drill Music in Zion finds Lupe Fiasco digging into the same talent on a more conscious level. This has some of the best verses of the year.

Try Out: ON FAUX NEM

36. Knucks – Alpha Place [UK Hip Hop]

Knucks is one of my favorite artists in the UK right now. He is up there with the best in the UK scene from his lyricism and his incredible beat selection. Alpha House meshes jazz rap with trap and drill, and I find myself listening to tracks off of this project weekly since its release. Knucks has the storytelling down and some fantastic production. He is one of the best in the UK right now.

Try Out: Hide & Seek

35. Samm Henshaw – Untidy Soul [Contemporary R&B]

Finally, this guy has an album. I am tired of listening to the same 2018 singles over and over again. Untidy Soul is good music for a good day to be alive. Nothing on this album brings me down; it is a collection of uplifting music for the soul. Samm Henshaw deserves more love.

Try Out: Take Time (feat. Tobe Nwigwe)

34. Knxwledge – 家.V1 [Deep House]

Knxwledge making a house album sounds exactly like Knxweldge making a house album. Combining his traditional production style with house production creates a unique element of lofi that is similar to a lot of outsider house projects. I hope the V1 means he plans to release more of these. KnxHouse is the future of dance music.

Try Out: Rokit

33. Conway the Machine – God Don’t Make Mistakes [East Coast Hip Hop]

I think an issue Griselda faces is consistency. The label is constantly releasing consistently good music which can make each album stand out even less. God Don’t Make Mistakes is a step above every Griselda album. Conway the Machine creates some of the most beautifully raw tracks on here. Digging for more interment and emotionally focused moments, Conway focuses more on mental health, alcoholism, suicide, and the passing of his son. The song stressed is a standout cut and is an emotionally destructive track. This might be Conway’s magnum opus.

Try Out: Stressed (feat. Wallo267)

32. Earl Sweatshirt – SICK! [Abstract Hip Hop]

If you get into a conversation about who some of my most listened-to artists are, Earl Sweatshirt finds his name being thrown out early on. There was no doubt I was gonna love this album. Like most Earl projects, the album is concise with fantastic production. Here, Earl Sweatshirt seems to test the waters with trap elements and it seems to work well. I friggin love Earl Sweatshirt.

Try Out: Vision (feat. ZelooperZ)

31. Arctic Monkeys – The Car [Baroque Pop/Chamber Pop]

I was a Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino defender from the start. The Car seems like a more mature extension of those concepts. Alex Turner’s lyrics are fantastic like always, but the musical compositions are more orchestral and beautiful than ever. I really really hope there is a mirrorball. Like, don’t get me started.

Try Out: There’d Better Be a Mirrorball

30. The 1975 – Being Funny in a Foreign Language [Pop Rock]

I think A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships and Notes on a Conditional Form are great projects. You can shoot me. (Specifically Andrew). Being Funny in a Foreign Language is more pop-rocky than their previous works, and I think the Jack Antonoff sound works well for the band and gives them a more focused direction.

Try Out: I’m in Love With You

29. Yaya Bey – Remember Your North Star [Neo-Soul/Alternative R&B]

I love how concise Remember Your North Star is. Every track here bounces around with interludes and transitions creating a cohesive R&B project that flows track after track. Yaya Bey is making fun R&B.

Try Out: Pour Up (feat. DJ Nativesun)

28. Kenny Beats – LOUIE [Instrumental Hip Hop]

I got really into Kenny Beats after the launch of his YouTube series The Cave. I always thought his collaborative albums were solid, but maybe one day, he would drop a project for himself. LOUIE was made for his father after he found out his father had pancreatic cancer in dedication to him. His father used to create mixtapes for friends and family stylized like a radio station, and LOUIE samples songs and moments from those tapes. Though the album feels like a beat tape, there is a ton of collaboration on the project to help excel the project past the beat tape roots of the project including JPEGMAFIA, Dijon, Mac DeMarco, Omar Apollo, Vince Staples, Fousheé, Remi Wolf, Paris Texas, Benny Sings, Thundercat, and several others. The album pushes Kenny past a traditional trap producer exploring themes of jazz rap and g-funk.

Try Out: Last Words

27. Fontaines D.C. – Skinty Fia [Gothic Rock/Post-Punk]

Every Fontaines album is slightly different from the last but still feels like a cohesive journey of growth. Skinty Fia might be their best project yet pushing the elements of gothic rock that were rooted into their earlier sound into the forefront. The album is dark and quite reminiscent of 80s acts like The Smiths and The Cure, so it’s easy for me to fall in love with it. At 10 tracks, Skinty Fia is packed with large ideas and large amounts of gloom

Try Out: Jackie Down the Line

26. JID – The Forever Story [Southern Hip Hop/Conscious Hip Hop]

JID does not care about mainstream success even if he is climbing in the rap consciousness. There is not a song on The Forever Story that sounds like JID is trying to appeal to the charts, and I think that is what makes this album so exciting to listen to. JID lyricism is reaching a level that his competition cannot seem to connect with being able to build whole verses of simple wordplay or tell stories throughout multiple tracks that all thematically link together. There is a lot of that southern hip-hop weirdness on this album which really makes the album an engaging listen throughout the hour-plus runtime. It deserves all the love it has been receiving all year.

Try Out: Stars (feat. Yasiin Bey & BADBADNOTGOOD)

25. Saba – Few Good Things [Conscious Hip Hop]

CARE FOR ME was the best album of 2018. Easy. End of story. To try and create an album that builds off CARE FOR ME’s success is not an easy task. Saba doesn’t care about building on that album’s legacy and wants to make an album he wants to make. You have to respect it. Few Good Things show Saba living in a world with grief, but still finding the beauty in the world around us for better or for worse. There’s guilt, there’s fear, and there are seemingly the worst times but you still find peace in the few good things you see.

Try Out: Come My Way (feat. Krayzie Bone)

24. Weyes Blood – And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow [Baroque Pop]

I love Natalie’s voice and to finally have a follow-up to Titanic Rising in my hands makes me a happy camper. Most songs here crossover the 5-minute mark which helps build a luscious and ethereal sound for the project’s 45 minutes. It is as orchestral as it is beautiful. Songs like God Turn Me Into a Flower and It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody have me floating in space. The album is worth a listen.

Try Out: A Given Thing

23. Nicholas Craven & Boldy James – Fair Exchange No Robbery (plus everything else [Drumless/Gangsta Rap]

Boldy James went from having one album to his name before 2020 to having released his 11th album in 2022. Fair Exchange No Robbery is his 9th project and is my favorite of his releases this year alone. Nicholas Craven’s production style finds him looping samples creating soulful and harmonious beats that are really stellar. Boldy James brings his A-game being able to fill all 10 tracks with one-liners and great verses throughout. It’s a cold album perfect for the winter.

Try Out: Stuck In Traffic

22. Beyoncé – Renaissance [House/Contemporary R&B]

A new Beyoncé album is a cultural moment even in 2022. Lemonade might be her “best” album, but Renaissance is definitely my favorite. Fusing elements of house with R&B allow Beyoncé to create a perfect party album with exhilarating basslines and funky melodies all being accompanied by her gorgeous vocals. I am also a sucker for an album filled with transitions and dance albums are perfect for this simply from the fact it brings it closer to a DJ mix or a night on the dancefloor. Hip house is back!

Try Out: HEATED

21. Zach Bryan – American Heartbreak [Americana/Red Dirt]

When I decide I want to listen to an album that is over an hour and a half, I have to plan it on my calendar and my schedule. American Heartbreak was a planned listen just like I plan to watch a two-hour movie. I worry a two-hour album would start to give me fatigue by the end, but that was never the case here. This album is great for nearly the entire project. Zach Bryan reminisces on his past and how far he has come. Plus, this dude can seriously write songs. The first thing I walked away with on this album was wow, this guy knows how to write music. No wonder Willie Nelson had Zach Bryan opening for him. This album is a straight country album. No bells. No whistles. Just a focus on crafting good music. I don’t even think this is Zach Bryan’s best work, yet. He still can go even farther in his career even with this opus of a project. Also if two hours isn’t enough, Summertime Blues is another 30 minutes of additional Zach Bryan.

Try Out: Tishomingo and From Austin

20. Whitney – Spark [Indie Pop]

When I am tried for my crimes at the gates of the kingdom of heaven, God will ask me why I defended this album, and I will have to explain to him that it was strictly for the vibes. Whitney’s first two albums were great indie rock albums with an alt-country sway. SPARK shoots for a poppier sound that sounds like a quite genuine direction for the band. I have seen a lot of people say it feels like the band is shooting for TikTok success, but I don’t see it. The album is catchy, fun, and slick. This album makes me feel happy. I love this album.

Try Out: Memory

19. Tyler Childers – Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven? [Progressive Country]

Tyler Childers tries something different on his fifth album. The album has eight tracks. Each track is recorded in three different styles. The Hallelujah version focuses strictly on creating the album with Tyler Childers and his band. The Jubilee version brings in large orchestration and more elements to each song. The Joyful Noise version goes in an entirely different direction turning each track into a plunderphonics instrumental version that I jokingly told Andrew was Tyler’s J Dilla era. It is a unique way to construct an album and gives fans of different styles of music a version they can call their favorite. Hallelujah feels like the original album recorded in tight sessions while Jubilee feels like a studio-mixed version with bigger elements with horns and choir vocals to make the album feel grand. Both achieve different emotions and feelings. As for the songs, Tyler shoots 8/8 which almost leads to a top-ten record. The Joyful Noise version doesn’t truly work to make this a perfect album, but it is still quite good. I really like this album.

Try Out: Angel Band

18. Brent Faiyaz – Wasteland [Alternative R&B]

This could have also been a top-ten record from this year, but some of the worst skits and interludes ever recorded are on this album. Specifically, the skit Wake Up Call is a “lean” 5 minutes that features an overly dramatic story and horrible voice acting. Now, you cut all those out, and you get the best R&B album of the year. Brent Faiyaz has so much confidence and charisma in everything he does, and talent oozes from it. There is a fantastic collection of features and solo tracks throughout this project, and track-by-track is one of Brent’s most cohesive albums yet.

Try Out: All Mine

17. Julia Jacklin – PRE PLEASURE [Indie Rock/Singer-Songwriter]

Julia’s third album is her best album. Julia creates one of the most moving albums of the year filled with songs of love and longing for others. This album struck such a strong chord with me that I couldn’t help but rate this album so highly. This album feels bittersweet and has a lot of subtle elements that really grow on me after every listens. 

Try Out: Ignore Tenderness

16. SAULT – 10 / 11 / AIR / AIIR / Earth / Today & Tomorrow / (Untitled) God [Neo-Soul/Modern Classical/Funk Rock/Gospel/Psychedelic Soul/Root Reggae]

Holy cow. Six albums and one EP in a year is King Gizzard levels of insanity. Each album tries something slightly different than the next. AIR and AIIR show Inflo and the group experiment with choral classical similar to the interludes on Little Simz’s Info-produced album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert. 10 is a ten-minute roots reggae epic with help from Chronixx. 11 is their traditional neo-soul sound as seen with their other numbered albums. Earth finds the group experimenting with their neo-souls sound with afrobeat and batucada. Today & Tomorrow is a funk rock album with touches of punk rock and psychedelic soul. Lastly, (Untitled) God shows the band digging into their Gospel roots with a more worship-heavy album that ends off their year’s work on a spiritual note. I love SAULT.

Try Out: Fight for Love (from 11)

15. Daniel Rossen – You Belong There [Chamber Folk/Progressive Folk]

Finding out that Grizzly Bear was going into indefinite hiatus hurt. Daniel Rossen’s debut solo album heals that wound. I always like the Daniel Rossen lead Grizzly Bear songs a bit more than Ed Droste, and on You Belong There, Daniel Rossen finds himself in a comfortable position creating a beautiful progressive chamber-folk album built around great guitar work throughout. Christopher Bear of Grizzly Bear contributes on the drums so it really feels like a new Grizzly Bear album through and through.

Try Out: Shadow in the Frame

14. black midi – Hellfire [Avant-Prog/Art Rock]

Cavalcade turned a band that piqued my interest into a band I wanted to hear more from. This is the “more from” I wanted. Hellfire is the sister album to Cavalcade rooted in darker concepts and elements. It is cheeky, it’s sarcastic, and it is definitely hellish. Tracks are layered with tons of heavy instrumentations and intense vocals. This album makes hell sound pretty sick.

Try Out: Sugar/Tzu

13. Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You [Indie Folk/Folk Rock]

I heard about half of this album from Landry, singles, and playlist placements and I knew it would be good. I just had to sit down and listen to it. Landry has never steered me wrong with his album suggestions. This album took everything Adrianne Lenker succeeded with on her 2020 albums and combines it with the best elements of Big Thief’s previous works. Adrianne Lenker still sings with so much soul and rawness that the full band’s work gets elevated every time the microphone graces her lips. The band sees themselves seemingly leaving all their indie rock elements behind in favor of strictly working in indie folk which works incredibly for the band. This might be Big Thief’s opus. I really do not know how they can top such a strong project. 

Try Out: Simulation Swarm

12. Vince Staples – Ramona Park Broke My Heart [West Coast Hip Hop/Conscious Hip Hop]

Vince’s self-titled was an introspective and laidback album that differed from the hyphy sound on FM! and the deconstructed club of Big Fish Theory. It is his quietest album yet. Ramona Park Broke My Heart expands that across 16 more tracks. Everything I loved about the self-titled seems stretched out here and still feels just as reflective as before. The song When Sparks Fly is one of his best songs ever using romance as a metaphor for gun violence and weaponization. When the album is not in its introspection, DJ Mustard brings some fun with tracks like Magic and Bang That that bring some fun party energy to the otherwise mellow album.

Try Out: Player Ways

11. Black Country, New Road – Ants From Up There [Art Rock/Post-Rock]

Everything that I enjoyed from For the First Time is expanded on Ants From Up There. Building richer melodies with larger instrumentation. Everyone in BCNR is young but oh-so-talented. Each track spans from a solid track with a great atmosphere to the grandeur and extended tracks that last for seven to 10 minutes. Each moment here seems perfectly produced. This will go down as a classic piece of music, and I think it is simply the best piece of music released this year. It is not my favorite, but it is the best. 

Try Out: Concorde