My Media Picks for 2022

With 2022 on the up and out, it has proven to be yet another year defined by politics, the pandemic, and public pandemonium. Lucky for me, while the world continued to burn, I was able to keep myself occupied with the immeasurable amount of media I’ve consumed these past 12 months. And lucky for you, because I feel inclined to share my favorites.

From pre-gaming and grinding out work in the library to heartbroken emo hours and long drives on I95 – the music released throughout 2022 has soundtracked my summer and first semester of senior year. Though so many amazing albums were given to us this year, these are the ones that I’ve been playing the most;

• Midnights, Taylor Swift – The obvious first choice. The cardinal rule of Taylor Swift songs is that if you’ve felt it, she’s probably written about it, and this album documenting 13 sleepless nights is no exception. As someone who went through their healing era this year, “Karma” couldn’t have come out at a better time. While there are a few skips now (“Vigilante Shit” sounds like a trashed reputation track), Swift songs have the funny ability of knowing my taste better than I do – so if you see me posting “Draw the cat eye sharp enough to kill a man” unironically, mind your business. Side note: Will sell kidney for Eras tour tickets… (half-joking)

• Myself in the Way, Turnover – Turnover is one of those bands that are in a constant state of reimagination. I became a fan since I first heard Peripheral Vision, and have stayed true as they’ve traversed from indie rock and emo to a more mellowed psychedelic sound. I see their 2022 release as an extension of 2019’s Altogether and 2017’s Good Nature, where they started to shift into a groovier gear. This is the perfect album to add to your driving or getting ready playlists, for moments when you can fully appreciate the layered sounds and funky basslines that make the album so engaging and fun to bump.

• PRE PLEASURE, Julia Jacklin – As a pre-existing Jacklin fan, I was greatly anticipating this album’s release – and it did not disappoint. PRE PLEASURE is an amazing mix of Jacklin’s signature raw songwriting with a more polished production compared to her previous works. While most songs are wistful and entrancing, the high points of energy that are scattered throughout command your attention to not stray far. If I had to categorize this album as a personal vibe, it would be “songs to play through your headphones while you lay on your bedroom floor in nostalgia and yearning,” because Jacklin’s self-reflection is bound to rub off on you. 

• If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, Halsey – Referring back to my previous statement of being in my healing era, Halsey’s newest album was the perfect musical accompaniment for a lot of the anger I felt in 2022. IICHLIWP is a prime example of what is possible when we reject the Jack Antontoff-ication of contemporary music production. Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ dramatic and gothic production paints the perfect sonic landscape for Halsey’s unapologetic poetic prose about the dichotomies that exist within everyone that sparks inner-conflict and self-sabotage. This album is so atmospheric it feels like you’re being transported to an alternate universe – making it the perfect album for when you want an escape from everyday life.

• Pareidolia Catalog, Vols. 1-4, HOMESHAKE – This is the ultimate study album (or should I say albums?). With 62 songs between the four volumes, HOMESHAKE graciously provides us with over an hour-and-a-half of chill lofi beats to study and relax to – no YouTube video required. As a longtime fan of his work, I’m still waiting on a more personal album of his, something akin to Fresh Air and Midnight Snack, but I appreciate his decision to release the ambient mix of music he has made in quarantine. Until then, I’ll take this as a sign from the universe to be productive and use this album as the soundtrack to my schoolwork. 

My roommates and I were saying the other day how we wished there was a Hulu or Netflix Wrapped the way there is for Spotify, so we could see the stats we’ve accumulated throughout this year. Considering all the nights we’ve spent binge watching Gossip Girl and our month-long Halloween horror movie marathon, I’m realizing I’m probably better off not knowing how many hours that equaled out to. Thankfully, the commitment to our couch has left me with some great movie and TV recommendations from this year.

• Marcel The Shell With Shoes On. I already said my piece on this in full, but I’ll include a TL;DR: This movie has the biggest heart I’ve ever seen and I sobbed the whole way through. Fully recommend to everyone everywhere. Year-changing, and possibly even life-changing.
• 2022 saw the second season of Quinta Brunson’s sitcom Abbott Elementary air, the Office-style mockumentary that follows elementary school teachers and administration in a Philadelphia public school. From Buzzfeed, Brunson has made a name for herself over the years as a comedic force and Abbott Elementary is the perfect example of her work at its best. With an amazing cast including Tyler James Williams from Everybody Hates Chris, comedian Zack Fox, and Brunson herself, Abbott Elementary has revitalized the contemporary sitcom for me. Compared to all of the excessively intense HBO shows I’ve watched this year, Brunson’s creation is a breath of fresh air. The jokes are funny without being crass, making Abbott Elementary the perfect choice to watch in between episodes of the new season of The White Lotus.
• Referencing back to the month-long Halloween movie marathon, I’ve watched a lot of horror movies this year – mostly bad. I wasn’t the biggest fan of a certain ‘Wi Test’ one-letter-titled blockbuster that was released this year, but Zach Cregger’s directorial debut saved my impression on the state of scary movies in 2022. Of course I’m talking about Barbarian – the thriller that somehow leaves you empathizing with the monster in the basement over some of the protagonists. Barbarian, which features Justin Long, Bill Skarsgård, and Georgina Campbell, is deliciously modern in the way it revolves around a double-booked AirBnB and includes a disgraced actor-turned-podcaster as a character, which comes off more satirical than cheesy. (Slight spoiler ahead) My viewing of this movie came after I watched Tusk, another Long-starring horror that left me scarred, and the ending of Barbarian felt like I finally got revenge on him after what he had put me through.

While I didn’t finish (or start) all the books on my reading list, I didn’t want my media consumption to be completely mindless. The best way to combat my shortened attention span while still seeking knowledge has been through podcasts. The perfect podcast mix for me is a healthy balance of information while still being funny and entertaining. These have been my go-tos while I get ready, clean my apartment, or just want to feel like I’m a part of a conversation when I’m actually home by myself.

• Binchtopia is a podcast hosted by Julia Hava and Eliza McLamb, two twenty-somethings who are heavily entrenched in online and pop culture as well as feminist history and theory. The pair seamlessly combine these two interest areas to steadily release episodes exploring topics like SHEIN’s ethical dilemmas, American wedding culture, and surrogacy. Both girls bring their unique but complementary personalities and humor together, creating an hour and a half full of witty jokes, back and forth bits, and insightful critiques and analysis of modern trends from, typically, a feminist lens. I’m not one to utilize Patreon, but the Binchies have had me seriously considering a subscription recently, because the weekly episodes are obviously not enough for me.
• While I’ve been a fan of Binchtopia prior to 2022, a newer podcast I’ve added into my rotation has been The Psychology of your 20’s. Host Jenna Sbeg is a psychology grad who explores the challenges, life experiences, and feelings that usually come with being in your twenties. With topics ranging from career and financials to inter- and intrapersonal relationships – there is an episode for probably whatever you are currently going through. She is also occasionally joined by fellow twenty-somethings or topic-experts to get other insights and opinions. Everytime I finish an episode of this podcast, I come away from it feeling like I’ve learned something I can directly apply to my own life. Your twenties doesn’t come with a guidebook, but this podcast kind of feels like one.

• barbarian
• binchtopia
• halsey
• media
• midnights
• movies
• Taylor Swift