2022 was a solid year for music: we had new Kendrick, a Beyoncé record, another great Thom Yorke side project, and a real, honest to God renaissance in the hardcore/punk space. Heck, even nu metal had a resurgence, fueled by TikTok and new LP releases from Korn and Slipknot. All this to say, there was a ton of stuff to get into, and get into a ton of stuff, I did. With that said, here are my top 20 albums of 2022:

#20. Bladee & Ecco2k: Crest

Bladee and Ecco2k team up for one of the sweetest synth pop albums of the year.

#19. Denzel Curry: Melt My Eyes See Your Future

Ever an artistic shapeshifter, Curry leans into a more subtle, understated sound on this record. It’s a more personal project that grew on me the more I listened to it.

#18. Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul: Topical Dancer

“Don’t say, ‘but where are you really from?’. Say, ‘I don’t see color.’ Don’t say, ‘nice pair.’ Say, ‘I love the symmetry of you.’ Don’t say, ‘but I’m allowed to say that because I grew up in a black neighborhood.’ Say, ‘my n…..eighbor.’ …..Don’t say, ‘I would like a black americano.’ Say, ‘I’ll have an African American please.’”

Lol.

#17. Petrol Girls: Baby

London punk rockers Petrol Girls return with a politically charged fever dream of a record.

#16. foxtails: Fawn

Midwest emo + shoegaze + violin + screamo, if that makes sense? There’s also some beautiful, sometimes devastating lyricism to be had here.

#15. Banshee: Fairy Metal

When asked who her biggest influences were, Banshee cited Septicflesh and Megan Thee Stallion, and, sonically, I think that sums up this album pretty well. She plays with a potent mix of hyperpop, trap, atmospheric black metal, and industrial on this lean 9 track, 21 minute record.

Thee Oh Sees A Foul Form Album Cover Art

#14. Thee Oh Sees: A Foul Form

Punk is back, baby! And one of the best hardcore records of the year came from… *checks notes* …Thee Oh Sees?? I knew they were adept shapeshifters, but I wasn’t expecting one of the tightest rock albums of the year to come from these guys. But hey, the Lord works in mysterious ways…

#13. Grace Ives: Janky Star

Ives’ sophomore LP is an extremely mature pop record that really aged well for me since it dropped in June. The sharp lyricism and snappy beats on tracks like “Angel Of Business” and “Loose” continue to get me every time.

#12. CMAT: If My Wife New I’d Be Dead

Irish singer/songwriter Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson’s debut record is pure pop country bliss. In a genre in dire need of new faces and fresh ideas, CMAT is a shining beacon of hope.

Undeath It's Time To Rise Album Cover art

#11. Undeath: It’s Time…To Rise from the Grave

Speaking of fresh faces, death metal is another genre that’s historically been a pretty small, somewhat insulated circle. Many newcomers to the metal scene pillage death metal tropes for their own deathcore purposes (looking at you, Lorna Shore and Chelsea Grin) but never actually make pure death metal. That’s why this Undeath record is so fun: it stands on the shoulders of death metal stalwarts like Cannibal Corpse and Morbid Angel while breathing new life into an area of extreme metal rarely explored by newer bands.

#10. DOMi & JD BECK: NOT TiGHT

Zoomers DOMi and JD BECK really woke up one day and said “let’s make the best jazz album of the year.” This thing slaps. From the production to the drums to the intricate yet catchy melodies, it’s got it all. It’s loaded with excellent features from the likes of Thundercat, Anderson .Paak, and Mac DeMarco too.

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#9. Fred again..: Actual Life 2 Piano (February 2 - October 15 2021) - EP

An offshoot of Fred’s Actual Life series, this short EP is comprised of 5 piano driven tracks accented by atmospheric synths and various audio samples. It took me a few listens to really get what was going on here, but once it clicked, I was enthralled. There’s just something so beautifully human and raw about these tracks to the point where my spirit feels nourished by them. There have been days where I’ve listened to this little EP on repeat for hours lol.

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#8. The Smile: A Light for Attracting Attention

Thom Yorke’s prolificacy isn’t always to his benefit (see: The Eraser). This is absolutely not the case with his new side project The Smile, however. Fans of Radiohead and Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes will find a lot to love on this record, as will fans of experimental music in general.

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#7. Lupe Fiasco: DRILL MUSIC IN ZION

Though I was aware of his singles, I was never a huge Lupe Fiasco fan growing up, so the fact he was dropping yet another album didn’t really excite me all that much—especially in a year in which we were getting new releases from the likes of Kendrick, Denzel Curry, Pusha T, Black Thought, and Earl Sweatshirt. Then I actually sat down and listened to the album…and was completely blindsided. This record is pointed and inspired, wielding the sharpest lyricism I’ve heard in a minute—and the flows/beats are great too.

#6. Hinako Omori: A Journey…

This ambient record from Japanese composer/producer Hinako Omori was my go-to album for editing/deep flow state work this year. It’s soothing, subtle, and endlessly beautiful. The shimmering synths weave effortlessly in and out, back and forth, almost resembling a living, breathing organism, and the etherial vocals add an eerie yet calming dimension. Fans of artists like Grouper, Andy Stott, and Holly Herndon will no doubt enjoy this release.

#5. Chat Pile: God’s Country

With God’s Country, sludge metal newcomers Chat Pile came through with one of the most horrifying records of the year. Frontman Raygun Busch’s frantic, yelping screams paired with absolutely devastating lyricism makes for some of the most moving art I’ve experienced this decade. A variety of “real American horror stor[ies]” are covered, including the industrial meat industry and homelessness.

“Why do people have to live outside? I couldn’t survive out on the streets. I’ve never had to push all my shit around in a shopping cart. Have you?…Why do people have to live outside when there are buildings all around us?…We have the resources. We have the means. Why? Why? Why? Why do people have to live outside?”

#4. ROSALÍA: MOTOMAMI

Spanish pop sensation ROSALÍA took a ton of risks on MOTOMAMI and it worked. The opening track alone, “SAOKO”, is worth the price of entry. There’s some hectic jazz grooves in there, some diabolically nasty synth bass lines, and a reggaeton beat that goes extremely hard. The rest of the album is fantastic, too. In short, this record is a LOT. I can honestly say I’ve never heard anything quite like it. There’s not much in the way of a coherent theme sonically, but man…it’s just so much fun. The eclectic styles on display really play into ROSALÍA’s excellent vocal range, and her delivery is stunningly beautiful. Hot take: I think she has the best voice in all of pop right now.

#3. OFF!: Free LSD

Hardcore veteran Keith Morris (Black Flag, Circle Jerks) and co. are back with their biggest, most ambitious record yet. This 20 track, 38 minute album goes hard from the get-go—but not always in the ways you might expect from OFF!. This time around, they dabble with atmospheric effects to produce a more psychedelic sound. It’s polished and slightly more approachable than a classic hardcore album, yet still heavy and chaotic. It’s by far some of the most progressive hardcore I’ve heard in the past few years, and to have it come from Keith Morris just feels so damn good.

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#2. Soul Glo: Diaspora Problems

If Keith Morris is doing the Lord’s work of ushering in a new era of hardcore, then Soul Glo are keeping the light on for all the old heads who just want to mosh as hard as they possibly can. This record is lean, mean, and tough as nails. The drums and bass are big and loud, Pierce Jordan’s snarling, hectic vocals are the wildest thing I’ve heard since H.R., and the guitars are as heavy as they come. That’s not to say they’re dogmatic in their pursuit of well-trodden hardcore tropes, though, as evidenced by the use of horns, synths, and various audio samples on certain tracks. Lyrically, Jordan utilizes a diabolically powerful mix of bleak humor and sharp social commentary. If this year is a sign of anything, it’s that punk is in fantastic hands.

Black Dresses Forget Your Own Face album cover art

#1. Black Dresses: Forget Your Own Face

Don’t let its slight 20 minute runtime fool you; this record is an absolute face-melter of an experience. Mixing glitchy noise-pop and fuzzed out electro-hardcore, this album is very obviously an exercise in catharsis, if not for the listener then most certainly for the duo who made it. From the day it came out, this record grabbed my attention and never let go. Listening to tracks like “Money Makes You Stupid” and “U_U2” for the first time was a formative experience—and that’s saying something as someone who’s consumed a ton of different types of music in his adult life. In short, this record messed me up in the best way possible.

And there you have it! My top 20 albums of 2022. Here’s a playlist with a sampling of songs from each album:

And here are some honorable mentions that didn’t quite make the cut: Big Thief: Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You, Otoboke Beaver: Super Champion, Kenny Beats: LOUIE, Pusha T: It’s Almost Dry, Black Country, New Road: Ants From Up There, Ghost: IMPERA, and Kendrick Lamar: Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.