If you’re anything like me you are always looking for a new album to make the temporary soundtrack of your life! This past year was full of a pretty solid collection of music, with the release of albums from many of my favorite artists as well as some new artists. I’m going to give you my favorite albums of 2022 (listed in no particular order) to start the new year off right!
1. Dawn FM by the Weeknd
This was one of the first albums to drop in 2022 and I couldn’t get it out of my head all year. The Weeknd managed to bring his concept of a radio station (with a little bit of twist) to life, and it is amazing. He somehow made a record that differed from his previous bodies of work after putting out albums for over a decade. This album is the definition of cohesive, as songs like “How Do I Make You Love Me?” and “Take My Breath” flow right into each other. This 80’s inspired album is one of his most impressive projects to date and is definitely worth a listen.
2. Tell Me That It’s Over by Wallows
I have been listening to Wallows since they released their EP Spring in 2018. They have always put out really fun and chill music and this record was no different. This album definitely delivered some more emotional songs than some of their previous work that I really enjoyed such as “Guitar Romantic Search Adventure”. Altogether this album is a great set of songs and is awesome to listen to on a sunny summer day.
3. Wet Leg by Wet Leg
Wet Leg is a band that I first heard of in the spring of 2022. I found their album on Spotify and immediately loved it. Some of my favorite songs on the album are “Wet Dream” and “Angelica” as they both represent the personalities of these two women so well. The band has a really upbeat, bold, indie sound that carries through the entirety of the album.
4. Crash by Charli XCX
“Crash” is one of my favorite pop albums to be released this year. It has so many danceable moments and the production is simply amazing. This is a great album to blast at full volume in the car with your friends on a night out. Though I wouldn’t say I love every song, the album in its entirety definitely deserves a listen and it’s sure to deliver the boat load of dopamine you’ve been searching for!
5. Being Funny in a Foreign Language by The 1975
This album is one that really took me by surprise this year. Although I like The 1975, and have been listening to them for years, I wasn’t expecting this album to wow me. This album captures a sound that is both familiar but also completely fresh. The theme of love is one that continues all the way through this project and is depicted well in songs like “Happiness” and “About You” especially well.
6. Midnights by Taylor Swift
“Midnights” is a rollercoaster ride of emotions in the best way possible. Taylor’s return to pop could not have gone better. She goes in a different direction with these tracks as they feel deeper and more colorful than her other pop records. Though it’s not my favorite record of hers it definitely left an impression on my 2022.
7. SOS by SZA
The year closed out with this highly anticipated album by talented R&B artists SZA. This skillful singer/songwriter dropped her popular album “CTRL” over five years ago, and fans have been begging her for more ever since. “SOS” definitely brought something new to the table with songs like “Low” displaying a sense of confidence and songs like “Nobody Gets Me” displaying a sense of vulnerability. We also saw what seemed like an unlikely collaboration with popular artist Phoebe Bridgers come to life in “Ghost In The Machine”, which is one of my personal favorites on the record. Altogether, this album was a big point of growth for her and is one of my favorites on this list.
All in all, 2022 left us with some really great projects to bring with us into this new year. I hope these albums keep you company as we enter this new era!