What are the best music albums and releases of 2022?
The New Yorker has brought together some of the most notable tracks of the year in its annual list of the best music.
As the year draws to a close, now is the perfect opportunity to look back at some of the best that 2022 had to offer. Every year the New Yorker publishes a list of the best music of the year, celebrating the finest in musicians of the past 12 months.
The New Yorker’s cultural criticism has made the publication into a musical tastemaker in recent years and it enjoys an international readership. This year, writer Carrie Battan gave her take on 2022′s musical offerings, drawing together some hugely influential tracks and albums.
Here’s what that list looks like…
Beyoncé, ‘America Has a Problem’
Queen Bey’s seventh studio album was released in July 2022 to positive critical and public reception. It was the first instalment of a three-part trilogy and brought together influences from the genres of disco and house, and explored their roots in Black culture. Few tracks from the club-ready album are as catchy as ‘America Has a Problem’ and the clever sampling gives it an edge.
Quavo & Takeoff, ‘Hotel Lobby’
One of the great musical tragedies of 2022 was the death of Takeoff, formerly a member of hip-hop trio Migos. The group had broken up earlier in the year but he and Quavo’s album ‘Only Built for Infinity Links’ spawned the single ‘Hotel Lobby’. The exciting young duo looked set to be one of the most engaging voices in rap going forward until the tragic events of 1 November.
Rosalía, ‘Motomami’
Spanish singer-songwriter Rosalia had a hugely successful 2022, capped by an appearance on former President Barack Obama’s end-of-year list of favourite songs with ‘Saoko’. Her album ‘Motomami’ won Pop Album of the Year at the Billboard Latin Music Awards and has been nominated in two categories for the upcoming 2023 Grammys.
ArrDee, ‘Flowers (Say My Name)’
One of a number of song to rise to prominence in 2022 thanks to widespread use on TikTok, British rapper Ardee’s re-imagining of a UK garage classic makes the list. His take on a two-decade-old track from Sweet Female Attitude has brought the song to new audiences and new age groups, throwing in some explicit lyrics for good measure.
Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul, ‘Haha’
A bizarre and slightly unsettling Eurodance offering from Belgian duo Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul completes the list. ‘HAHA’ features little more than a pounding kick drum, synthy melody and a recurring laugh track, but it’s oddly hypnotic. The music video shares the same slightly warped aesthetic and eerie aura. A memorable track to complete the list.