Year-End Lists

Les Inrockuptibles: Top 25 Albums of 2022

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

1. Motomami
   Rosalía
2. Skinty Fia
   Fontaines D.C.
3. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
   Kendrick Lamar
4. Wet Leg
   Wet Leg
5. Loggerhead
   Wu-Lu
6. Alpha Zulu
   Phoenix
7. Versions of Modern Performance
   Horsegirl
8. Topical Dancer
   Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul
9. Harlequin
   Sofie Royer
10. Nymph
    Shygirl
11. Stumpwork
    Dry Cleaning
12. And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow
    Weyes Blood
13. Covers
    Cat Power
14. The Car
    Arctic Monkeys
15. Cheat Codes
    Danger Mouse and Black Thought
16. Ghost Woman
    Ghost Woman
17. Le soleil et la mer
    Bibi Club
18. Tired of Liberty
    Lounge Society
19. (Loin des) Rivages
    Bon Voyage Organisation
20. Fossora
    Björk
21. Forever Melodies
    Kids Return
22. Ants From Up There
    Black Country, New Road
23. A Light for Attracting Attention
    The Smile
24. Saint-Clair
    Benjamin Biolay
25. Melt My Eyez See Your Future
    Denzel Curry

Folk Alley: Best Albums of 2022

[see also 2023 • 2020]

1. The New Faith
   Jake Blount
2. Rolling Golden Holy
   Bonny Light Horseman
3. Carry Me Home
   Levon Helm and Mavis Staples
4. Teeth Marks
   S.G. Goodman
5. Breaking The Thermometer
   Leyla McCalla
6. Dark Enough to See the Stars
   Mary Gauthier
7. Timbuktu
   Oumou Sangaré
8. Tell 'Em You Were Gold
   Pharis & Jason Romero
9. Spellbound
   Judy Collins
10. Feel Like Going Home
    Miko Marks

Complex: 50 Best Albums of 2022

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

1. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
   Kendrick Lamar
2. Un Verano Sin Ti
   Bad Bunny
3. It's Almost Dry
   Pusha T
4. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
5. Ramona Park Broke My Heart
   Vince Staples
6. Dawn FM
   The Weeknd
7. Gemini Rights
   Steve Lacy
8. Her Loss
   Drake and 21 Savage
9. The Forever Story
   JID
10. Melt My Eyez See Your Future
    Denzel Curry
11. The Elephant Man’s Bones
    Roc Marciano and The Alchemist
12. 2 P'z In A Pod
    Jay Worthy, Larry June, LNDN DRGS
13. Honestly, Nevermind
    Drake
14. King's Disease III
    Nas
15. Before You Go
    Blxst
16. More Black Superheroes
    Westside Boogie
17. You Can’t Kill Me
    070 Shake
18. Drill Music in Zion
    Lupe Fiasco
19. Natural Brown Prom Queen
    Sudan Archives
20. DS4Ever
    Gunna
21. Food For Thought
    Che Noir
22. Soul Sold Separately
    Freddie Gibbs
23. Harry's House
    Harry Styles
24. Caprisongs
    FKA twigs
25. Ivory
    Omar Apollo
26. More Love, Less Ego
    Wizkid
27. Tana Talk 4
    Benny the Butcher
28. Anyways, Life's Great...
    GloRilla
29. 11
    Sault
30. Hypnos
    Ravyn Lenae
31. Motomami
    Rosalía
32. I Never Liked You
    Future
33. Luv 4 Rent
    Smino
34. Only Built for Infinity Links
    Quavo and Takeoff
35. Superghetto
    Buddy
36. She / Her / Black Bitch
    Doechii
37. It's Only Me
    Lil Baby
38. Feed Tha Streets III
    Roddy Ricch
39. 2000
    Joey Bada$$
40. Sick!
    Earl Sweatshirt
41. God Don't Make Mistakes
    Conway the Machine
42. You Still Here, Ho?
    Flo Milli
43. Lyfë
    Yeat
44. Few Good Things
    Saba
45. Beautiful Mind
    Rod Wave
46. Wasteland
    Brent Faiyaz
47. Ghetto Gods
    EarthGang
48. Saturno
    Rauw Alejandro
49. 3800 Degrees
    YoungBoy Never Broke Again
50. Smithereens
    Joji

Gorilla vs. Bear: Albums of 2022

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. I Love You Jennifer B
   Jockstrap
2. Aethiopes
   Billy Woods
3. Sent from my Telephone
   Voice Actor
4. Boat Songs
   MJ Lenderman
5. Live A Little
   Sam Gendel & Antonia Cytrynowicz
6. My Dread
   boyhood
7. Marci
   Marci
8. June McDoom
   June McDoom
9. LUZ
   Axel Boman
9. Quest for fire
   Axel Boman
10. Shirley Hurt
    Shirley Hurt
11. Reset
    Panda Bear and Sonic Boom
12. Painless
    Nilüfer Yanya
13. Once Twice Melody
    Beach House
14. Antidawn
    Burial
15. Weather Alive
    Beth Orton
16. And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow
    Weyes Blood
17. Running In Waves
    George Riley
18. Light Moving Time
    Babehoven
19. Bad Mode
    Hikaru Utada
20. Gemini Rights
    Steve Lacy
21. Come Around
    Carla dal Forno
22. The Jacket
    Widowspeak
23. You Can’t Kill Me
    070 Shake
24. Warm Chris
    Aldous Harding
25. Thanks 4 The Tracks U Lost
    Jamal Moss
26. Blue Rev
    Alvvays
27. Bewitched!
    DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ
28. Quiet the Room
    Skullcrusher
29. Motomami
    Rosalía
30. Sick!
    Earl Sweatshirt
31. Protector
    Aoife Nessa Frances
32. Cant Change
    Omar S
33. You're The Boss
    Patrick Holland
34. Botanica Dream
    Monster Rally
35. Versions of Modern Performance
    Horsegirl
36. Preacher's Daughter
    Ethel Cain
37. Clearing
    Hyd
38. Orange
    CS + Kreme
39. 11
    Sault
39. AIIR
    Sault
39. Earth
    Sault
39. Today & Tomorrow
    Sault
39. Untitled (God)
    Sault
40. Harlequin
    Sofie Royer
41. I Walked With You A Ways
    Plains
42. I Don't Know Who Needs To Hear This...
    Tomberlin
43. Faster Than I Can Take
    Jane Inc
44. Kiren
    Yasuaki Shimizu
45. Opening the Door
    Jack J
46. Misery
    EKKSTACY
47. Crash
    Charli XCX
48. Continua
    Nosaj Thing
49. Earth Visions Of Water Spaces
    Tan Cologne
50. Love Of Plastic
    Shinichi Atobe

Crack Magazine: The Top 50 Albums of 2022

[see also 2023 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. Preacher's Daughter
   Ethel Cain
2. Motomami
   Rosalía
3. Yesterday Is Heavy
   Lil Silva
4. Paste
   Moin
5. Cyclorama
   Ariel Zetina
6. Skinty Fia
   Fontaines D.C.
7. Feeding The Machine
   Binker and Moses
8. ¡Ay!
   Lucrecia Dalt
9. Nymph
   Shygirl
10. Raw Space
    Authentically Plastic
11. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
    Kendrick Lamar
12. Versions of Modern Performance
    Horsegirl
13. Chang Zhe Na Wu Ren Wen Jin De Ge Yao
    Organ Tapes
14. Finally, New
    They Hate Change
15. Living Room
    Roméo Poirier
16. I Love You Jennifer B
    Jockstrap
17. Man With The Magic Soap
    Persher
18. Hi Tech
    HiTech
19. Running In Waves
    George Riley
20. God Save the Animals
    Alex G
21. It's Almost Dry
    Pusha T
22. Wet Leg
    Wet Leg
23. Half Moon Bay
    Tomu DJ
24. Natural Brown Prom Queen
    Sudan Archives
25. Trouble The Water
    Show Me the Body
26. Ground Groove
    Maral
27. Remember Your North Star
    yaya bey
28. My Body Your Choice
    Issy Wood
29. Bad Influence
    Ojerime
30. Gold
    Alabaster DePlume
31. The Vanity Project
    Iceboy Violet
32. And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow
    Weyes Blood
33. Nothing To Declare
    700 Bliss
34. Cool It Down
    Yeah Yeah Yeahs
35. Rave & Roses
    Rema
36. DEATHFAME
    Quelle Chris
37. Could We Be More
    Kokoroko
38. Stumpwork
    Dry Cleaning
39. Desquamation (Fire, Burn. Nobody)
    Rainy Miller
40. Painless
    Nilüfer Yanya
41. Florist
    Florist
42. What do the stars say to you
    Ron Trent
43. Laurel Hell
    Mitski
44. Loggerhead
    Wu-Lu
45. Traditional Music of South London
    Dale Cornish
46. Un Verano Sin Ti
    Bad Bunny
47. Hostile Utopia
    Low End Activist
48. Squeeze
    SASAMI
49. Pripyat
    Marina Herlop
50. Dawn FM
    The Weeknd

The Quietus: Albums of the Year 2022

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

1. I Love You Jennifer B
   Jockstrap
2. Broken Gargoyles
   Diamanda Galás
3. caroline
   caroline
4. The Ruby Cord
   Richard Dawson
5. Decius Vol. I
   Decius
6. Everything Was Forever
   Sea Power
7. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
   Kendrick Lamar
8. Psychonautic Escapism
   The Ephemeron Loop
9. 6°30'33.372"N 3°22'0.66"E
   Emeka Ogboh
10. Shebang
    Oren Ambarchi
11. The Liquified Throne of Simplicity
    Širom
12. Flowers Rot, Bring me Stones
    Moundabout
13. Is It Going To Get Any Deeper Than This?
    The Soft Pink Truth
14. INNIT
    SCUDFM
15. everything perfect is already here
    claire rousay
16. Comradely Objects
    Horse Lords
17. Autofiction
    Suede
18. Lad Ash
    Real Lies
19. Back Home
    Big Joanie
20. Man With The Magic Soap
    Persher
21. A Southern Code
    EROS
22. Beans On Toast With Pythagoras
    One More Grain
23. Music For Four Guitars
    Bill Orcutt
24. Endure
    Special Interest
25. Amaryllis
    Mary Halvorson
25. Belladonna
    Mary Halvorson
26. Hiss
    Wormrot
27. Ghosted
    Oren Ambarchi / Johan Berthling / Andreas Werliin
28. Adzi Akal
    NZE NZE
29. The Horgenaith
    Sarahsson
30. Two Sisters
    Sarah Davachi
31. The Water is the Shovel of the Shore
    Shovel Dance Collective
32. International Treasure
    The Utopia Strong
33. Ghosts
    Haress
34. Living Torch
    Kali Malone
35. Intimate Publics
    Osheyack
36. Phase Corrected
    Shit and Shine
37. The Portrait You Painted of Me
    Alison Cotton
38. Sonancy
    Loop
39. Mutate
    Abadir
40. Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky
    Porridge Radio
41. Music For Films Edited By Moths
    Kramer
42. Hexen Valley
    Gnod
43. Say Laura
    Eric Chenaux
44. Caprisongs
    FKA twigs
45. Fear Fear
    Working Men's Club
46. Loggerhead
    Wu-Lu
47. Baiser Mortel
    Lala &ce, Low Jack
48. Cainsmarsh
    Rigorous Institution
49. Languoria
    Sofie Birch & Antonina Nowacka
50. LP.8
    Kelly Lee Owens
51. Sone Glo
    Pontiac Streator
52. Pozdrawiam
    Pimpon
53. Laurel Hell
    Mitski
54. Bucked Up Space
    Nik Colk Void
55. Syphon
    Wojciech Rusin
56. Nymph
    Shygirl
57. War and War
    Weak Signal
58. do not wish to be known as a Vandal
    Sam Slater
59. Decomposed
    Blind Eye
60. Kleis
    Somaticae
61. Skinty Fia
    Fontaines D.C.
62. We Jazz Reworks Vol. 2
    Carl Stone
63. Warm Chris
    Aldous Harding
64. Nocturnal Trance
    Candelabrum
65. Collection Particulière
    Omertà
66. Renaissance
    Beyoncé
67. Tuqoos
    Julmud
68. The 7th Hand
    Immanuel Wilkins
69. Only Love From Now On
    Carmen Villain
70. Antiphony of the Trees
    Laura Cannell
71. Motomami
    Rosalía
72. Few Good Things
    Saba
73. Preacher's Daughter
    Ethel Cain
74. Peacock Pools
    Pink Mountaintops
75. Canti di guerra, di lavoro e d'amore
    Silvia Tarozzi & Deborah Walker
76. Ani Klang
    Ani Klang
77. Left To Rot
    Erupt
78. Escapology
    Kode9
79. Darklife
    death’s dynamic shroud
80. Disharmonium - Undreamable Abysses
    Blut Aus Nord
81. Plonk
    Huerco S.
82. Him, fast sleeping, soon he found In labyrinth of many a round, self-rolled
    Manja Ristić
83. Cry Sugar
    Hudson Mohawke
84. Nostalgia Por Mesozóica
    Nikolaienko
85. Targala, la maison qui n'en est pas une
    Emmanuelle Parrenin
86. Father's Wing
    Rob Mazurek Quartet
87. The Vanity Project
    Iceboy Violet
88. Regards / Ukłony dla Bogusław Schaeffer
    Matmos
89. Boulder blues
    Staraya Derevnya
90. Building Something Beautiful For Me
    Loraine James
91. Hellfire
    black midi
92. Maloo
    Maylee Todd
93. Sunchoke
    Gi Gi
94. Black Pearl
    50 Foot Wave
95. The Swan
    Nwando Ebizie
96. Traditional Music of South London
    Dale Cornish
97. American Rituals
    Cheri Knight
98. Cheb Terro vs DJ Die Soon
    Cheb Terro vs DJ Die Soon
99. Noughty by Nature
    Digga D
100. Morbidity Triumphant
     Autopsy

Rolling Stone: The 100 Best Albums of 2022

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
2. Un Verano Sin Ti
   Bad Bunny
3. Midnights
   Taylor Swift
4. Motomami
   Rosalía
5. Harry's House
   Harry Styles
6. It's Almost Dry
   Pusha T
7. Hold On Baby
   King Princess
8. Caprisongs
   FKA twigs
9. Jack in the Box
   J-Hope
10. Wet Leg
    Wet Leg
11. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
    Kendrick Lamar
12. Blue Rev
    Alvvays
13. Lucifer on the Sofa
    Spoon
14. Gemini Rights
    Steve Lacy
15. Ivory
    Omar Apollo
16. Farm to Table
    Bartees Strange
17. Traumazine
    Megan Thee Stallion
18. Big Time
    Angel Olsen
19. Ramona Park Broke My Heart
    Vince Staples
20. The Hardest Part
    Noah Cyrus
21. Palomino
    Miranda Lambert
22. Honestly, Nevermind
    Drake
23. Crash
    Charli XCX
24. Legendaddy
    Daddy Yankee
25. Born Pink
    Blackpink
26. More Love, Less Ego
    Wizkid
27. God Save the Animals
    Alex G
28. Dirt Femme
    Tove Lo
29. Sick!
    Earl Sweatshirt
30. Broken Hearts Club
    Syd
31. Versions of Me
    Anitta
32. Wasteland
    Brent Faiyaz
33. American Heartbreak
    Zach Bryan
34. Skinty Fia
    Fontaines D.C.
35. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
    Big Thief
36. Familia
    Camila Cabello
37. Dawn FM
    The Weeknd
38. Gifted
    Koffee
39. Mr. Money with the Vibe
    Asake
40. Subaru Boys: FINAL HEAVEN
    Cruel Santino
41. Headful of Sugar
    Sunflower Bean
42. Sometimes, Forever
    Soccer Mommy
43. Bien o Mal
    Trueno
44. Emails I Can't Send
    Sabrina Carpenter
45. Muna
    Muna
46. New Jeans
    NewJeans
47. Laughing so Hard, it Hurts
    Mavi
48. Cruel Country
    Wilco
49. Surrender
    Maggie Rogers
50. Squeeze
    SASAMI
51. Formula, Vol. 3
    Romeo Santos
52. (watch my moves)
    Kurt Vile
53. Only Built for Infinity Links
    Quavo and Takeoff
54. Cool It Down
    Yeah Yeah Yeahs
55. Llegó el Domi
    Kiko El Crazy
56. Versions of Modern Performance
    Horsegirl
57. The Parts I Dread
    Pictoria Vark
58. Age/Sex/Location
    Ari Lennox
59. Saturno
    Rauw Alejandro
60. Laurel Hell
    Mitski
61. 7220
    Lil Durk
62. Tinta y tiempo
    Jorge Drexler
63. Girls Night Out
    Babyface
64. ¡Ay!
    Lucrecia Dalt
65. A Light for Attracting Attention
    The Smile
66. Her Loss
    Drake and 21 Savage
67. Expert in a Dying Field
    The Beths
68. Marchita
    Silvana Estrada
69. Esquemas
    Becky G
70. Lindeville
    Ashley McBryde
71. Hit With the Most
    Ribbon Stage
72. I Never Liked You
    Future
73. Bell Bottom Country
    Lainey Wilson
74. Few Good Things
    Saba
75. Hold the Girl
    Rina Sawayama
76. 777
    Latto
77. Old-Time Folks
    Lee Bains + The Glory Fires
78. Give or Take
    Giveon
79. A Legacy of Rentals
    Craig Finn
80. Forgiveness
    Girlpool
81. Superache
    Conan Gray
82. The Forever Story
    JID
83. Multitude
    Stromae
84. Asha's Awakening
    Raveena
85. Lighten Up
    Erin Rae
86. Z1
    Zora
87. Before You Go
    Blxst
88. Loose Future
    Courtney Marie Andrews
89. En Letra de Otro
    Goyo
90. Third Time's the Charm
    Protoje
91. Special
    Lizzo
92. Good Person
    Ingrid Andress
93. Visitor
    Empath
94. OUT:SIDE
    Runkus x Toddla T
95. De todas las flores
    Natalia Lafourcade
96. Back Home
    Big Joanie
97. Let The Festivities Begin!
    Los Bitchos
98. Boat Songs
    MJ Lenderman
99. Coping Mechanism
    Willow
100. Reason in Decline
     Archers of Loaf

Lindsay Zoladz: Best Albums of 2022, as published by The New York Times

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020]

1. Janky Star
   Grace Ives
2. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
3. Motomami
   Rosalía
4. God Save the Animals
   Alex G
5. Dance Fever
   Florence + The Machine
6. Painless
   Nilüfer Yanya
7. Blue Rev
   Alvvays
8. Natural Brown Prom Queen
   Sudan Archives
9. Big Time
   Angel Olsen
10. Palomino
    Miranda Lambert
11. Take It Like a Man
    Amanda Shires
12. Dawn FM
    The Weeknd
13. Warm Chris
    Aldous Harding

And 12 more very good records worth mentioning

• Being Funny in a Foreign Language
  The 1975
• Un Verano Sin Ti
  Bad Bunny
• Remember Your North Star
  yaya bey
• Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
  Kendrick Lamar
• All Blue
  Julianna Riolino
• Squeeze
  SASAMI
• Broken Hearts Club
  Syd
• We've Been Going About This All Wrong
  Sharon Van Etten
• How Is It That I Should Look at the Stars
  The Weather Station
• And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow
  Weyes Blood
• Wet Leg
  Wet Leg
• Cruel Country
  Wilco

Jon Caramanica: Best Albums of 2022, as published by The New York Times

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2011]

1. American Heartbreak
   Zach Bryan
2. Motomami
   Rosalía
3. Honestly, Nevermind
   Drake
4. Welcome to the Block Party
   Priscilla Block
5. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
6. Farm to Table
   Bartees Strange
7. Gulch’s final show, Sound & Fury Festival, July 31, 2022
8. Last Ones Left
   42 Dugg and EST Gee
9. Mr. Money with the Vibe
   Asake
10. Disrespectful
    Bad Boy Chiller Crew
11. Un Verano Sin Ti
    Bad Bunny
12. Club Godfather
    Bandmanrill
13. Endure
    Special Interest

And 16 more, alphabetically

• Being Funny in a Foreign Language
  The 1975
• 2 Slizzy 2 Sexy (Deluxe)
  Cash Cobain & Chow Lee
• Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven?
  Tyler Childers
• Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022)
  Fred again..
• Give or Take
  Giveon
• 7220
  Lil Durk
• Laughing so Hard, it Hurts
  Mavi
• I Used to Think I Could Fly
  Tate McRae
• Heaven Come Crashing
  Rachika Nayar
• Harry's House
  Harry Styles
• Sick!
  Earl Sweatshirt
• Beautiful Mind
  Rod Wave
• Dawn FM
  The Weeknd
• Coping Mechanism
  Willow
• Colors
  YoungBoy Never Broke Again

Honorary late 2021 release

• The D.O.A. Tape
  Kay Flock

Jon Pareles: Best Albums of 2022, as published by The New York Times

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2011]

1. Renaissance
   Beyoncé
2. Motomami
   Rosalía
3. Weather Alive
   Beth Orton
4. Natural Brown Prom Queen
   Sudan Archives
5. Nacarile
   iLe
6. No Rules Sandy
   Sylvan Esso
7. Hellfire
   black midi
8. Fossora
   Björk
9. Aethiopes
   Billy Woods
10. Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky
    Porridge Radio

And 15 more, alphabetically

• Saturno
  Rauw Alejandro
• Un Verano Sin Ti
  Bad Bunny
• Where's The One?
  Congotronics International
• Tinta y tiempo
  Jorge Drexler
• Preacher's Daughter
  Ethel Cain
• Caprisongs
  FKA twigs
• Versions of Modern Performance
  Horsegirl
• Classic Objects
  Jenny Hval
• Bamanan
  Rokia Koné & Jacknife Lee
• Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
  Kendrick Lamar
• In These Times
  Makaya McCraven
• Laurel Hell
  Mitski
• Just Like That...
  Bonnie Raitt
• Diaspora Problems
  Soul Glo
• Sometimes, Forever
  Soccer Mommy