Music 2022 – Highlights and Favorites

I’ve never really posted about the music I listen to here, so I wanted to give that a shot this year. I spend a lot of time exploring music, and so when the year wrapped up, I wanted to do two things. One was to make a playlist that had the essentials of what I loved that year so I could share it with people. I also wanted to try to figure out what my favorite albums were, so I ended up with this twenty-strong list below. Due to a severe lack of time, and what I consider an untrained ear for good and bad albums, I am simply listing them here nondescript. If you scroll further below then you’ll find an exhaustive list of every artist that’s on the playlist, however, and some quick thoughts about them. I should state that this list is by no means representative of the music industry at large. I’m sure someone could point me to twenty albums all potentially better than my number one pick. I also have pretty basic taste in some regards, so there’s possibly a lot of generic or perplexing choices.

Top 20 Albums of 2022

20. Rina Sawayama – Hold the Girl

19. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool it Down

18. Sayuri – Sanketsu Shoujo

17. Tobe Nwigwe – MoMINTs

16. Silversun Pickups – Physical Thrills

15. Placebo – Never Let Me Go

14. The Weeknd – Dawn FM

13. Pusha T – It’s Almost Dry

12. The Smile – A Light for Attracting Attention

11. Florence + The Machine – Dance Fever

10. Regina Spektor – Home, before and after

9. Archive – Call to Arms & Angels

8. Little Simz – No Thank You

7. Jack White – Fear of the Dawn

6. Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers

5. Rosalia – Motomami

4. Zola Blood – Black Blossom

3. Nas – King’s Disease III

2. Aurora – The Gods We Can Touch

1. Royksopp – Profound Mysteries Trilogy

That sums up what I considered my favorite albums I listened to this year. Royksopp had three, but I figured I’d include them all as one entry, especially since they all came out the same year and share a title/theme. This is my last spot to throw in some other random thoughts about the year, so I’ll start with my feeling about Beyonce’s album seeming overrated. I skipped Taylor Swift, and I don’t know how much longer I can go before I finally give her a listen. I have nothing against her, but I simply have not sat down to listen to any of her albums. I feel like there’s tons of great stuff from 2022 still out there that I haven’t tapped into. What would you recommend? I’m very open to getting introduced to new artists and I’d love to stay caught up with whoever’s putting out the best stuff each year.


If you’re not sure if who you’d recommend is someone I’ve already listened to, then I’ll end this with a little companion list for my 2022 playlist. This exhaustive list has every artist on my 2022 playlist alphabetically with a brief snippet as to who they are, what they released, and why I like them. If you’re the type that wants to read along while listening, then simply sort by artist and this will be in the same order. The playlist was made to be relatively short, and in order to do so, I narrowed it down to basically 1-5 songs per artist. Let’s get to it!

  • 7 Minutes Dead | 1 single | Electronic – this was an artist in a very bad mental state as of late, and hadn’t released anything at all in 2021. I was getting a bit worried about his personal health as time went on, but hearing him release such a groovy single this year really helped remind me why he’s so good, and I’m grateful he’s still at it.
  • 21 Savage | 1 Album, Various Singles | Rap – “Pharell made this so its a million dollar beat.” 21 ain’t wrong. Pharell made another oddly captivating instrumental with the single “Cash in Cash Out,” and 21 Savage and Tyler the Creator just rap so well over it. I didn’t listen to 21 and Drake’s album, and I don’t think I plan to.
  • Adventure Club | 1 album | Electronic – Love \\ Chaos is a good old classic style melodic dubstep album with some really old singles as far back as 2020. They probably fall into a generic style, but I think their production quality is great, and their synths sound awesome so I’m a sucker for them sometimes.
  • Aether |1 EP, Many Singles | Electronic – Aether is one of my all time favorites in the downtempo side of the electronic spectrum. Their sonic textures and general vibe feel very carefully produced and extremely pleasant to the ear. His releases this year did not disappoint. Though I do still miss some of his more distinctive production from his early years like “Catharsis” or “Departure” that felt more menacing.
  • Alec Benjamin | 1 album, a few singles | Pop – Alec Benjamin is a bit of a guilty pleasure because his style isn’t something I generally go for, and I feel like some people may judge me for being into it, but I just can’t get over his voice and singing style. It’s really sharp, with melodies that dig into my brain, and very relatable lyrics.
  • ALI | 2 EPs, Various Singles | Japanese Jazz/Hip-Hop – Oh man I wish I could talk about their 2023 album here, but I’ll have to wait. ALI had a public mishap on their hands for a while when their drummer was arrested and the band was delisted from Spotify. Over 2022, they started releasing singles as well as appearing on The First Take, which is ones of Japan’s most successful live performance online shows. Anime fans will definitely recognize them for doing Jujutsu Kaisen’s iconic ending theme or Beastars first opening theme.
  • alt-J | 1 album | Indie Pop – Introduced to me by my old roommate, I’m forever thankful for being tuned in to this wonderful band, especially because one of my favorite songs they’ve released, “Philadelphia,” was on this album.
  • amazarashi | 1 album | Japanese Alternative Rock – I don’t know if this band will ever top the first song I heard from them, “Speed to Masatsu” but I enjoyed this album quite a bit, and generally love when the singer sings loudly and relentlessly like in “1.0” from the playlist.
  • Archive | 2 albums | Art Rock – Archive is, simply put, my favorite band. A band that has admittedly not been putting out their best stuff in recent years, at least until their new album dropped. In addition to a full length studio album, they also made a documentary about their music process, complete with its own soundtrack that also contained several solid instrumentals. They got a lot of love on this playlist.
  • Aurora | 2 albums (1 live) | Pop – Aurora is a recent artist for me, but her newest album feels like a keeper for life. It makes me really excited to listen to the older albums especially since they all seem to review consistently well. She also had a live album featuring many of her old tracks and compositions for the game Sky.
  • AViVA | 2 albums (1 orchestral) | Alternative Pop – AViVA has been very busy releasing a single what seems like every month. Her general vibe is that attitude-laced alt-pop that’s very prominent these days, which may be cringe for some, but I’m a sucker for it if its catchy enough. She’s been leaning towards a more 2000’s rock influenced for her 2022 album which was a mixed effort to me. I definitely found some keepers though.
  • Bad Computer | Various Singles | Electronic – Bad Computer is a powerhouse producer, and I think one of the best in the biz. My favorite track from him this year wasn’t an original though, it was a remix of the legendary Infected Mushroom’s new single, also from this year. Bad Computer’s punchy house style was a fantastic addition to the original track.
  • Bensley | Various Singles | Electronic – Bensley is an absolute master of tone and immersion. His production mimics an almost movie-level cinematic quality, but ultimately clocks in more like grimey, industrial drum & bass. From a pure production standpoint, his music is some of the most impressive to me in my library.
  • Billie Eilish | 1 single | Pop – Here’s the thing with Billie Eilish. I think her two debut singles “ocean eyes” and “six feet under” were her best songs ever after both of her full length albums that blew her into superstardom. I was worried her ethereal introspective style would get drowned out by the quirky dark, creepy-pop of her debut album. Her second album was a step in the right direction, but her two-track single “Guitar Songs” that released in 2022 finally contained songs that rivaled my old favorites. “TV” and “The 30th” are both must-listens in my opinion, with the latter being even stronger to me.
  • Bring Me the Horizon | Various Singles | Metal – There wasn’t much Bring me the Horizon did this year, but one thing they put out that struck a huge nostalgic chord with me was creating a song for the Gran Turismo racing game. Rather than an original song, they did a gnarly remake of the iconic GT song “Moon Over the Castle.” It’s a purely instrumental track, but it ended up being one of the unforgettable moments in music for me this year.
  • Can’t Stop Won’t Stop | Various Singles | Rap – This is the corny white rapper that I love to death. Unlike Eminem or NF, Can’t Stop Won’t Stop raps happily as if he’s in a time capsule stuck in the 90’s and it just works for me. This year they put a spaghetti-western beat to his old-school rhymes and I just fell in love. Yes guilty pleasure here for sure.
  • Chelmico | 1 album | Japanese Rap – Chelmico jumped into my life with the catchy opening theme to Keep Your Hands off Eizouken. They have a very fun approach to rap, similar to the last artist, but their style feels more modern and fluid. Their 2022 album was very enjoyable for me, but cuts were so tough I could only include one song.
  • CHiCO with HoneyWorks | 1 album | Japanese Pop-Rock – I can’t tell if anyone else enjoys this group as much as I do, but I find her voice and delivery incredibly refreshing. It’s very crisp, and not overproduced. Whenever they are put in charge of an anime OP, it tends to always stick with me. I’ll forever remember them for the After the Rain opening. Their album was honestly chock full of good stuff, but I feel like I might be an outlier here and most may just here a generic anime band?
  • ClariS | 1 album, Various EPs and singles | Japanese Pop-Rock – Three Japanese bands in a row, but for once, this is a band who I sadly didn’t listen to their album release. I only got turned on to this band because of the opening to Lycoris Recoil which I became vastly obsessed with this year. It doesn’t matter what anyone says, this song will now always be special to me so I had to include it.
  • CloudNone | 1 EP, Various Singles | Electronic – CloudNone released an interesting EP that was basically a who’s who collaboration of Monstercat’s artists. I personally thought it was one of the best things released from that label last year, and I think Cloudnone has a deft hand for house/garage music with just enough interesting production technique to satiate IDM listeners as well.
  • Cosmo Sheldrake | 1 Single | Indie Pop – Classifying this guy’s genre is damn near impossible. He released an album entirely made with bird chirps, but ultimately he reminds me of a cooky fantasy-esque folk pop. He only released one song over a two year period, but its just as eclectic and odd as any other, and I’m always fascinated with this guy.
  • Courrier Sud | Various Singles | French Indietronica – Courrier Sud replicates an intimate listener experience with a lovely atmosphere that has just a hint of sadness and a dash of playfulness. Like Cosmo Sheldrake, he represents a small quantity of output, but builds their identity as an artist strongly with each release.
  • Creepy Nuts | 1 Album, Various Singles | Japanese Hip Hop, Jazz – Like ALI, Creepy Nuts blends jazz and hip hop and throws it over an anime opening video to cement themselves as anime community mainstays. This time, its thanks to Call of the Night for gracing me with their presence. Their style is less aggressive than ALI, but no less enjoyable. I have only heard their songs used in the anime and some that play at work, but I have yet to actually dive into the album which I’m excited to do at some point.
  • Crown the Empire |Various Singles | Metal – Crown the Empire falls into that nostalgic post-hardcore style with a clean vocalist that I just can’t move on from. Though they didn’t release much, they had a fun Halloween song that ended up being one of my favorite things they released and it features the singer of Chidos, Craig Owens so I just couldn’t turn away from two all-star vocalists.
  • Daktyl | 1 Album | Electronic – Daktyl falls into the group of dance music producers that seems to etch out an interesting style that makes me fall in love with their specific texture and tone. His album was overall pretty fine, but “Flood” was a standout track I just had to include.
  • Dance Gavin Dance | 1 Album | Metal – Dance Gavin Dance is a band that I don’t seem to like as much as their core fanbase, as most of the time their songs just end up being a bit too chaotic and loud for me, but golly gee, there were a couple super catchy jams on their 2022 album.
  • Dawid Podsiadło | 1 Album | Indie Pop – Dawid is another artist that’s only on here because of an anime song. That was definitely going to be a common thing on this list. Dawid’s soft-spoken singing greeted everyone at the close of each Cyberpunk: Edgerunners episode, and due to the melancholic ending, the songs just haunts me. I couldn’t use the iconic song from the final episode because it technically came out in 2020.
  • Dead On a Sunday (StayLoose) | Various EPs and Singles | Indie/Electronic – Okay so the song is by Dead On a Sunday on Spotify, but the other artist, Stayloose, is the artist I actually follow, so this entry is for him. Stayloose has a very uplifting style that I’ve been a fan of for many years. He also had a name change (formerly known as Stelouse.) The song with Dead on a Sunday feels very simple, but super effective in the way it makes me feel, so maybe I just vibe with it, but I’m not sure others will like it as much.
  • Doul | 1 Album | Indie Rock – Doul is a bit hard to find info on. It seems Arknights picked a truly obscure artist to do the ending of their anime. Well, I give them massive credit because the song was very unique, and I loved it. I have yet to listen to the album but I’m not seeing near as good reception on it as the Arknights song, “Be Me,” but maybe there’s still some hidden gems in it.
  • Dylan Dunlap | 1 EP | Indie Pop – This probably feels like generic singer-songwriter stuff to most, but just like Alec Benjamin, I just simply really like his voice and general style. I tend to start his songs expecting to be bored, but they just end up catchier than I expect and I end up liking him often.
  • Ellie Goulding | Various Singles | Synth Pop – It’s been a while since Ellie Goulding dropped an album that matched her reputation build off her insane rise to stardom. I am digging some of the singles leading up to her 2023 album though so I’m starting to get pretty optimistic about it. As a note, I do include singles on the playlist if the album isn’t out yet.
  • Fireboy DML | 1 Album | R&B – I have zero experience with this artist. He’s just an auto-include because I really dug this song from the Black Panther soundtrack. Instead, I ask you all, does anyone here follow this artist. Is his album worth listening to?
  • Fivio Foreign | 1 Album | UK Rap – The song “City of Gods” popped up on my new releases because it features Alicia Keys, so this is the only song I know Fivio Foreign from. Apparently it was from his debut album, which I haven’t listened to. City of Gods, however, was on repeat for a good while. I love the droney bass, and I just absolutely love Alicia Keys harsh vocals.
  • Florence + The Machine | 1 Album | Indie Pop – I was coming off of my least favorite Florence album, “High as Hope” wondering if Florence would ever sink back into her more primal and wild style of her old albums. Luckily their newest album absolutely did, and anytime Florence releases an album like this, I can do nothing but celebrate. They are one of my all time favorites, and I saw them live this year for the first time!
  • Flume | 1 Album, Various Remixes | Electronic – Flume has been around for a while but this is the first time I’ve listened to an album. His style is very eclectic and odd, but I generally find it fascinating. The two tracks the made the cut, “Sirens” and “Palaces” are both hauntingly beautiful.
  • Gareth Emery | 1 Album | Electronic – Gareth Emery was a trance producer who generally stayed on my list of artists I enjoyed, but never really went out of my way to show people. For his 2022 album, however, he went for a 90’s europop motif that was very left-field, but I ultimately liked it. It may not be for everyone, but anything that makes me think of Aqua is fine by me.
  • Grant | 2 Singles | Electronic – Grant only needed one song to sell me on why I follow him. “Dead Man Walking” is an intensive, catchy dance beat that probably sits as one of my favorite electronic tracks of the year.
  • iamnotshane | 2 Singles | Synth Pop – this is the kind of bouncy sad pop that I need more of in my life. I’ve been a fan of this singer for a few years, but his 2022 single “What doesn’t Kill You Mutates and Tries Again” is one of his best. I can’t understate how much I love his voice, but it may not be for everyone. It sounds very radio-friendly and sometimes that’s not people’s thing.
  • Imagine Dragons | 2 Albums | Pop-Rock – While I couldn’t get into the albums and didn’t see the need for two of them, I can’t deny that Imagine Dragons knows how to create earworms time to time. “Sharks” is a fun little groovy jam that I really liked. It could be just that plucky bassline, but it really stuck with me.
  • IMLAY | 1 Single | Electronic – This artist only released one song in 2022, but it instantly made it to my favorites list. Its such a delicious bass drop, and IMLAY’s production in general is just sky-high quality. I was a bit surprised because his recent EP’s didn’t exactly win me over, but if this is a sign of what’s to come, I’m all in.
  • Jack White | 2 Albums | Rock – Jack White may have just released his best solo album to date with “Fear of the Dawn.” And he continued on to drop a second album that was a more acoustic, slow burn but was still a pleasure. But make no doubt, Fear of the Dawn is the album to note of the two.
  • Jeezy | 1 Album | Rap – Jeezy is coming back with a new mixtape, and some of you may have written this guy off completely. Snofall has him coming back for his original style and staking his claim on it, and it was overall a triumph, though its not going to hang with the best rap albums this year. However, if you missed old school Young Jeezy, THIS is exactly that.
  • Joji | 1 Album | Pop – The song “Glimpse of Us” had me and others frothing at the mouth for his next album as it was one of his most beautiful releases ever. But the album itself, “Smithereens,” ended up not quite living up to that. To me it felt like Glimpse of Us carried the album, but I think Joji has already proven themselves as a top-tier songwriter.
  • Julia-Sophie | Various Singles | Electronic – If there’s any random obscure artist that I stumbled across that catapulted to the heavyweights of my listening experience, its Julia-Sophie. I don’t think she’s for everyone as she has a very repetitive style, but to me that repetition is pure hypnosis. Whatever her style is, I’m 100% into it. Ethereal vocals, gritty tone, slow build ups, intense payoffs. I love this artist so much.
  • Kasabian | 1 Album | Rock – Kasabian is one of my favorite bands, but I don’t necessarily consider them one of the best bands. I simply think that each of their rather imperfect albums has some absolutely perfect songs for what I’m looking for. This newest album, “The Alchemist’s Euphoria” is the first without the bands lead singer. I was scared, and ultimately there is something missing in the vocal quality. But in everything else, I was just as thrilled as any other album. I could see some writing this off as their worst album, but it seems like even their worst has stuff for me, so I’m not disappointed at all.
  • k?d | 1 Album | Electronic – k?d was one of my favorite up and coming producers. His production wasn’t clean, but it transported me to wild places nonetheless, and I can’t ask for nothing more when I’m on the dance floor. His album wasn’t quite the showstopper I hoped for, but it still was k?d’s style through and through and that’s what I ultimately signed up for.
  • Kendrick Lamar | 1 Album | Rap – Kendrick Lamar is my favorite rapper of his generation, and nobody has really topped him since, with only older favorite in the same echelon. I don’t think I was more excited for an album release this year than “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers.” The album was different from what I expected, making it harder to do repeat listens, but exemplifying his absolute growth as an artist nonetheless. I have to have a special shout out to “The Heart Part 5” which kind of eclipsed most of the songs from the album as Kendrick’s best track this year.
  • Kenshi Yonezu | Various Singles | Japanese Rock – And here it is, the Chainsaw Man opening. It’s a song that dug deep into my brain and made me seek out covers for hours into the night. There’s so many small sections of the song that I really love, but this is my first time really appreciating Kenshi Yonezu as a musician. Is “Kick Back” similar to his other work? I’m excited to find out.
  • Konomi Suzuki | 1 Album | Japanese Rock – While Konomi Suzuki isn’t one of my favorite Japanese acts, I follow them because every once in a while they put out stuff that I’m glad to add to my library. This year was that case with the infectiously catchy “HELLO” from their 2022 album. It almost has the energy of a K-pop summer anthem, which is very outside of Konomi Suzuki’s normal style.
  • Les Friction | 1 Album | Pop – Les Friction is basically what would happen if epic trailer music became a pop artist. His voice is incredibly powerful, and the instrumentation is unforgivingly cinematic. It might make him corny or a bit too abrasive, but I find him impossible to not be wowed by.
  • Lil Nas X | 2 Singles | Pop Rap – Lil Nas X became the president of League of Legends this year, and this song became the anthem for the Worlds Finals Tournament. Me and my roomate were even trying to attend, but ticket sales were a nightmare. I saw that the League community felt his song wasn’t epic enough to be the featured song for Worlds, but I don’t have too much League experience, and I pretty much loved it front to back.
  • Little Simz | 1 Album | UK Rap – The list is small for modern rappers that I idolize as much as the old greats, but Little Simz is one of them. In fact, her 2021 release was basically a tie for favorite rap album with Dave’s 2021 release. Unlike Dave, though, Little Simz pumped out a surprise 2022 release at the very end of the year and it was incredible.
  • Lupe Fiasco | 1 Album | Rap – Lupe’s 2022 album, “Drill Music in Zion,” was a great addition to Lupe’s discography, and the one song I can’t get out of my head is “Autoboto.” It’s great to see Lupe continually climb from the hole that many feel he dug himself with Lasers back in the day.
  • MAISONdes | Various Singles | Japanese Pop – Catapulted to further fame thanks to handling both the opening and ending songs of Urusei Yatsura, both of which were some of the delightful songs from that anime season. MAISONdes is a collaboration group with an odd concept, creating a kind of virtual apartment complex where each song represents a room. They really have a YOASOBI vibe, but due to the collaborative nature, I wonder just how different they end up sounding in the future, if at all.
  • MALO | 1 Single | Electronic – MALO is pretty much paired with Bensley as incredibly talented and haunting producers who seem to spend a lot of time crafting up their releases. Both Bensley and MALO seem capable of dropping an album that could rank up their with my most beloved favorites, but until then, these sparse singles are more than enough.
  • Mark Eliyahu | 1 Album | Israeli Orchestral – Thanks to a random AMV on youtube, I got clued in to the wonderful work of this gifted composer who takes up the kamancheh and plays it so damn well. I cut a lot of orchestral stuff from my playlist mainly because I just don’t think people are generally in the mood, but I couldn’t cut this guy out.
  • Masayuki Suzuki | 1 Album, Various Singles | Japanese Funk/Soul – Another Kaguya-sama season, and another perfect theme song. Masayuki Suzuki just continues to kill it with effortless style. His album was technically just a bunch of covers so I didn’t include any of those, but I definitely enjoyed his cover of Monster from YOASOBI.
  • Metric | 1 Album | Rock – Like alt-j, Metric was introduced to me by a friend, and I slowly became obsessed. While I missed Metrics slow fade to obscurity, I seemingly jumped back on right when they started recapturing their audience with great albums again. 2022 was no different with a very solid album (though I prefer 2018’s Art of Doubt.)
  • Mia Vaile | 1 Album | Alternative Pop – Mia Vaile has been restarting her career after a very successful debut from the old EDM duo Veorra. After breaking off from that act, I’ve been following both of them individually. Mia Vaile has been using her dreary, sassy voice to great effect. I’m a bit biased here because of her history, but I really can’t get enough of her singing.
  • Mili | 1 Album, Various Singles | Japanese Pop – Mili is tied with Ling Tosite Sigure as my favorite band based in Japan, and Mili’s releases last year only cemented them at the top. Their big album was Key Ingredient, which was a piano/singer stripped down version of their biggest hits. Most stripped down version seem purely reductive, but something about some of these compositions felt wholly transformative.
  • Mitski | 1 Album | Pop – Mitski was also introduced to me by the same friend who showed me Metric. While I didn’t initially warm up to Mitski since she’s typically not my style, I thoroughly enjoyed her 2022 album “Laurel Hell.” It had more lively instrumentation than I expected.
  • Mob Choir | 1 Single | Japanese Rock – Mob Psycho’s final season finally aired, and the saddest thing of all may just be that we never hear another Mob Choir song again. If you’re that desperate you can seek out the band Sajou no Hana, that features the same singer! Every Mob song is a jam so this was an easy include.
  • Monstaz. | Various Singles| Electronic Rock – I don’t think anyone can initiate a groove quite like Monstaz. If I were to throw together my perfect jam playlist, I could simply throw every Monstaz. track into the list and be perfectly set. They are a bit retro, full of stylistic inspirations, but at the end of the day, its synth, guitar, and a lovely beat, and it works every single damn time.
  • Mother Mother | 1 EP, Various Singles | Rock – I came in very late to this band, and only learned about them via a tik tok video, but they really are one of the more unique rock bands I’ve come across. The singing is very rough, but that adds to the whole identity of the band which I really lock. While they had a christmas EP that was actually pretty solid, it’s their sequel to Hayloft that really blew me away last year.
  • The Mountain Goats | 2 Albums | Folk Rock – This nifty little folk band continues to pump out music like there’s no tomorrow. While I’m not a die hard fan or anything, I always find their albums worth diving into. Their style in the 2022 album Bleed Out felt a bit more punky than I’m used to, which I absolutely loved.
  • Mr FijiWiji | 1 Album | Electronic – Another great Monstercat artist and another great album. Mr Fijiwiji is the type off artist I always love while listening, but tend to forget after a while, this album kind of feels the same, but its clear that the number of tracks I love from this guy is constantly growing.
  • MURS (& Wrekonize) | Various EPs and Singles | Rap – MURS is an artist I know more through features than solo work, and in 2022 he partnered with Wrekonize from the rap band Mayday. Now, Mayday is one of my personal favorites, but MURS features have always been solid, so a whole EP from them both was just a godsend.
  • My Chemical Romance | 1 Single | Rock – Their first song in years, and it ends up being one of their best. I don’t think there was any greater comeback than MCR with the song “The Foundations of Decay.” It’s an absolutely powerful song, clocking in at 6 minutes. It reminded longtime fans of their old days. It sounds a bit underproduced, but that only adds to the time capsule-feel of this whole situation of this legendary band finally coming back.
  • Nas | 1 Album | Rap – If there’s one Grammy snub that I cannot forgive, it’s the lack of Nas and his incredible album King’s Disease III. Its one of many recent Nas releases that has been swirling up a reputation for Nas as a true legend. Especially whene KD III was better received than KD1, which actually WON the grammy.
  • Neovaii | 1 Album | Electronic – If you remember in Mia Vaile’s entry how I mentioned her breaking off from the duo Veorra, well, this is the other half who also went solo. Welcome to the trap producing half of Veorra’s short-lived claim to fame. Sadly, both Mia and Neovaii really are struggling to recapture the same popularity, despite their music having the same quality.
  • NGHTMRE | 1 Album, Various Singles | Electronic/Rap – Can’t Stop Won’t Stop isn’t the only artist to mix spaghetti-western music with rap, but the end result is a completely different feeling. NGHTMRE uses much more trap influences, but I still love the mix so much that I kind of want to keep hearing more takes on this mashup.
  • Nina Chuba | Various Singles | German Pop Rap – While originally debuting as an english-lyrics act, Nina Chuba has since been switching to German. Her style of melodic rap and alternative pop remains just as strong as ever though. The singles of 2022 have led to her debut album Glas that just came out this week. I have no idea how that album will be, but I have enjoyed the singles immensely, and her voice even more so.
  • Noga Erez | Various Singles | Pop Rap – Noga Erez is simply the coolest musician this year. Her catchy jam, Nails, caught the eyes of Missy Elliot who joined her for a rerelease. I personally prefer the original so thats what I included on the playlist, but the video for the Missy Elliot version is one of the most hype things I saw last year.
  • NOTHING MORE | 1 Album | Metal – Now I think I’m the last out of tune with the rock scene these days, but at least out of the popular rock bands, I think NOTHING MORE has been on quite the consistent streak of quality releases. The singer’s voice remains a huge factor into my enjoyment of this band, and sounds like it belongs in the 90’s.
  • ODESZA | 1 Album | Electronic – I was generally pleased with ODESZA’s 2022 album “The Last Goodbye,” but ultimately just settled on one track to represent this group. The switch up in “Behind the Sun” is such a cool Woodkid-esque drum pattern.
  • Oswin Benjamin | 1 Album, Various Singles | Rap – Oswin is one of my favorite recent underground rappers. His rapping is so lively, clever, and efficiently spoken, while his singing voice remains just as enticing. He released a collaboration album this year that I found pleasantly surprising, but his single with Murs ended up being one of my favorite rap songs this year. Like seriously, I don’t get how “Chanel Kids” is staying underground.
  • OVERWERK | 2 Singles | Electronic – OVERWERK is my favorite electronic artist. He commands a disciplined style of intense classical music and gritty house music. It may not be my favorite music to dance with others, but it’s absolute my favorite music to dance to by myself. His singles this year aren’t my favorites, but any singular OVERWERK track is usually quite the listen regardless. It still contains his signature love of the minor key, overloaded synths, and a slick, industrial tone.
  • OxT | Various Singles | Japanese Rock – OxT are long time theme song performers for the Overlord series. I generally liked all of their songs, but their most recent season 4 opening “Hollow Hunger” is a cut above the rest for me.
  • PALASTIC | Various Singles | Electronic – PALASTIC has basically mastered the art of making pop-laden house hits. I think it may contribute to them maybe seeming a bit similar to many others, but I don’t really aim for much distinction when it comes to good dance tracks, and PALASTIC has a bar of quality that feels consistent across their discography that I think makes me appreciate them a lot.
  • Parov Stelar | 1 Album | Electronic – The electro-swing king is back with another album. While his novelty is wearing off a bit, his blend of styles remains something that still tickles my ears in a good way when compared to most of the EDM soundscape. Particularly, his song “FIRE” which moves away from swing and more of a western inspiration is one of my favorites he’s released.
  • Passenger | 1 Album | Folk Pop – Do people listen to Passenger? I remember his “Let Her Go” song being played everywhere, and surprisingly, it never got overplayed for me. I thought it was a lovely song and I wanted more lovely songs so I followed Passenger in hopes for more. Basically, and unsurprisingly, I still get some heartfelt tunes, and I still find this guy very talented.
  • Placebo | 1 Album | Alternative Rock – While everyone was talking about Kate Bush and her song “Running Up That Hill,” I was trying to segway into Placebo’s cover that I grew up thinking was an original song. But luckily, that wasn’t the only Placebo related thing in 2022 because they finally dropped an album after 9 years, and it was one of their better ones which is always a pleasant surprise after that long off the grid.
  • Poets of the Fall | 1 Album | Rock – I had quite the obsession with this artsy band and their pretty melodies over a decade ago, and while that flame has calmed down, I still deeply enjoy any song of theirs that carries that same eloquence. Luckily, even with 2022’s Ghostlight, they still got it.
  • Polkadot Stingray | 1 Album | Japanese Rock – No band feels simpler, yet fuller and more complex than Polkadot Stingray with their technical prowess coated with a calm, chill delivery. Their newest album was a wholly expected endeavor that I had a great time with. I think you can always count on this band to deliver on that airy, funky sound.
  • Polyphia | 1 Album | Math Rock – Polyphia continues their wildly impressive instrumentation into new genre territories, abandoning some of the trap influences. While the album blended together more than I ideally wanted it to, the songs that stood out are some of my favorites all year. For an instrumental only band, they remain one of my favorites out there.
  • Porno Graffiti | 1 Album | Japanese Rock – From that iconic Fullmetal Alchemist song to their equally iconic My Hero Academia opening, Porno Graffiti has been with anime fans for longer than most. In 2022 they released a new album, of which they have many, but this one seemed to have a lot more put into it, making it one of their best. And I have no idea why they made this “Zombies are Standing Out” song, but I’m very glad they did.
  • Portugal, the Man | 1 Single | Indie Rock – “What, Me Worry?” is a similar sounding song to their smash hit “feel it still” for better or worse. For me, I could always use more songs like that, and it sounds different enough. But this is an earworm radio hit through and through. I personally love it, though.
  • Purity Ring | 1 EP | Synth Pop – Purity Ring is another band I saw live this year, though out of the three I saw, this was probably the least impressive showing. I am a pretty passive listener of this band in general, but “graves” is definitely my standout track from the EP. The colorful piano that makes me feel like I’m underwater is extremely nice.
  • Pusha T | 1 Album | Rap – I’m very late to the Pusha T party as this is my first time listening to an album, and holy hell it will not be my last. “It’s Almost Dry” ended up being one of my favorite rap records last year, and I hear this isn’t even his best one. “I Pray For You” is one hell of a song, and Labrinth’s vocals are so wonderful.
  • PYLOT | Various Singles | Electronic – Synthwave became huge after Stranger Things, but I think in the EDM scene, Synthwave was always alive and healthy. One of the biggest contributors to that, at least for me, has been PYLOT who has been relentlessly releasing synthwave tracks since 2015 (one year prior to Stranger Things’ debut.) If I want this particular style of music, this is the artist I go to.
  • QUEEN BEE | Various Singles | Japanese Pop – Raven of the Inner Palace just wrapped up, but the longwinded “MYSTEEEEEEERRRRIOUS” still lives in my head rent free. One exciting development is that this band was just confirmed for my local anime convention, so I’ll get to see them live which sounds very interesting.
  • Rameses B | 1 Album, 2 EPs, Various Singles | Electronic – The drum & bass god just can not stop making music. I swear, every week I whip up my new release playlist, Rameses B is always on it. With so much content, a lot of them fell through the cracks as far as me enjoying them, but I don’t mind those misses because his actual hits make it all worth it. I think this is my favorite Drum & Bass producer by far.
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers | 2 Albums | Funk Rock – Red Hot Chili Peppers came off a 6 year break with two albums in 2022. Neither of which were anything to write home about, but I picked a song from each album I liked for the playlist but they mainly reflected older favorite songs I already adore from them.
  • Regina Spektor | 1 Album | Pop – Out of all the singer-songwriters Regina Spektor is probably the one I find the most creatively inspiring. I had an amazing time with her album “Home, before and after,” from last year. It’s not necessarily easy listening, but its incredibly striking and full of amazing storytelling.
  • ReoNa | Various EPs and Singles | Japanese Pop – ReoNa’s extremely breathy singing is something new to me as it took until the Arknights anime to introduce me to someone who felt like a long time star, but it seems she is relatively new. I hear her other music is even better, and while Arknights nostalgia may be driving this song up, I’m very excited to explore her discography if it’s even just as good, let alone better.
  • Rina Sawayama | 1 Album | Pop – Rina went from eclectic and experimental with her debut album “SAWAYAMA” to traditional and structured with her second album “Hold the Girl.” I think myself, like many others preferred the first album, but despite being a much more normal pop record, her 2022 offering was still really damn good on its own merits. I also think I decided my next AMV will be her “Frankenstein” set to Zombie Land Saga.
  • Ririsya | Various Singles | Japanese Pop – Ririsya is my favorite Vtuber, and one who’s music I find criminally underrated. I think she deserved to blow up ages ago. Her big song this year, “Recollection,” is one I found incredibly well made. The musical production is pretty astounding, especially for my base expectations for a vtuber/streamer trying to make it as a musician.
  • Rosalía | 1 Album | Latin Pop – I thought Rosalia absolutely smashed it with this one. MOTOMAMI is definitely one of the biggest highlights of the year, and I think the energetic front end and the somber back end are both equally amazing.
  • Royksopp | 3 Albums | Electronic – Three albums. I feel absolutely spoiled by this group. Royksopp are one of my all time favorites, and getting just one album after all this time would have been enough, but instead they spaced out three albums across the year giving me more Royksopp than I could have ever hoped for.
  • Saul Williams | 1 Albums | Soundtrack – Saul Williams has been busy transitioning from poet/rapper/singer to an actor and film director. Musically speaking that means all we have from him for 2022 is the soundtrack to his directorial debut, Neptune Frost. I haven’t seen the film yet, so as a standalone piece, the soundtrack felt too disassociated for me to fully enjoy. One track, however, really permeated my memory. That is the gloomy “I own the Night” with its frenetic drums, frightening guitar tones, and ominous vocalizing.
  • Savant | 2 Albums | Electronic – Savant has been releasing one to two albums per year for many years now. He’s revealed that he has Asberger’s and that his music production has peculiar processes because of this. In 2022 he revisited his older Alchemist album with “Alchemist 2” and I found a few favorites in it. His style may not be for everyone, but his albums jump between all sorts of genres and I’m a fan of that eclectic combo.
  • Sayuri | 1 Album | Japanese Rock – I first heard Sayuri with the ending theme to Scum’s Wish, and her voice has penetrated my soul time and time again since. She has a very strained and nice harmonies that make her delightful to listen to. In 2022 she did the ending theme to Lycoris Recoil, which of course commanded a lot of my attention, but her full length album was equally impressive.
  • Scalene | 1 Album | Portugese Rock – Chalk this one up to another band I came across because of an AMV. It used a softer song so I went into this band not expecting their heavier post-hardcore style which I like. In the end, I’m more of a fan of their slower, softer stuff, though.
  • Scorpions | 1 Album | Classic Rock – One of my favorite songs of all time is “Winds of Change.” Known for both ballads and anthems, Scorpions is both a massive band and what feels like an obscure one at the same time. I personally am a massive sucker for their ballads. I think Klaus Meine’s vocals are some of the best in rock music. The crazier part is that they are still consistently releasing music. They are damn near close to being among the longest running bands of all time.
  • Silverstein | 1 Album | Metal – Silverstein, which was commonly defined as one of the most consistent bands from the old school emo days, finally starts dabbling in more radio friendly stylings with 2022’s “Misery Made Me.” I personally still really liked it as I’ve always been a fan of their more catchy melodic choruses anyways. I should note that I may wield a big bias for Silverstein as they are my favorite post-hardcore band.
  • Silversun Pickups | 1 Album | Indie Rock – “Physical Thrills” was an album I expected to love front to back, but it was just a tad overlong and drawn out. However, there were some individual songs that returned me to the noise-ridden landscapes of their past albums. “Stillness” is a haunting track that utilizes Brian Aubert’s voice in my favorite way.
  • Skott | 1 Album | Indie Pop – I had the highest hopes for Skott prior to her debut album. I thought her singles were landmines ready to blow up into the music industry. A few EP’s and an album later, I feel like that potential still hasn’t been fully realized, but Skott still remains a very competent performer with a Grade A voice. Her 2022 “A Letter from the Universe” sees her return a bit more to her folksy roots.
  • SLUMBERJACK | 1 Album | Electronic – Fitting in perfectly with many of the EDM contemporaries on this list, SLUMBERJACK adds a lot of the Trap influenced club music I’ve been craving as of late. The 2022 album “Dichotomy” had more hits than misses for me. He’s not one of my favorites, but he consistently fills out my playlists with solid danceable beats.
  • The Smile | 1 Album | Art Rock – While the world waits for Radiohead to release a follow up to 2016’s “A Moon Shaped Pool, many have found immense satisfaction for this offshoot album featuring Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood releasing under a new band with a new drummer. Many could simply write their 2022 debut “A Light For Attracting Attention” as the new Radiohead album. So does it hold up? Well, it’s fantastic, but Radiohead’s legacy is sky-high so just being good doesn’t quite earn the approval of long time fans. What I can say is that its better than some proper Radiohead albums, and that’s alreaday saying enough.
  • Snow Ghosts | Various Singles | Art Rock – A band that has been hovering on the cusp of greatness for many years, Snow Ghosts takes you to a very desolate, and overwhelming bleak landscape with their music. 2022 was basically a handful of singles to pave the way for their album this year (which I’m currently in the middle of listening to as it just released.) I don’t think they hit that greatness yet, as far as weaving a masterful album, but some of their singular releases are among the most hypnotic songs I’ve heard all year.
  • SSVU | 1 Single | Indie Rock – Speaking of side projects for established bands, Silversun Pickups members, and a member of Garbage have united for one of the more interesting concepts out there. SSVU is a band specifically about their interactions with famous people. They turned their conversations into music pieces, and they are about as weird as that’d sound, considering one of them is literally called “David Lynch has a Painting Made of Flies Eyes.”
  • Stormzy | 1 Album, Various Singles | UK Rap – I only know Stormzy because he featured with Dave once on his 2021 album. First off, I had no idea this guy could sing. Black Panther featured him rapping and singing a somber, reserved chorus that immediately became one of my highlights of the soundtrack. I know he had an album in 2022, but I did not listen to it.
  • Survive Said the Prophet | 1 Album | Japanese Rock – This is another guilty pleasure in that I didn’t even enjoy their 2022 album, “Hateful Failures.” Despite that, one of the singles, “Beauty Queen,” takes me back to my high school emo phase and sometimes I do really enjoy those kinds of throwbacks. This is one of those cases.
  • SZA | 1 Album | R&B – Alright, so I may get some flack for this but I didn’t get into SZA’s “SOS” album as much as I hoped. However, I think “Kill Bill” is a brilliant, honest track with one of the catchiest hooks of the year. I consider it an outlier from the album though which generally sounded much more rooted in traditional R&B.
  • Thaehan | Various Albums, EPs, and Singles | Electronic/Lofi – Thaehan is my go to lo-fi Hip Hop guy, though I admittedly preferred his earlier work where it was a blend of lo-fi and a bit more lively instrumentation. These days it sounds a bit more similar to everything else I’m hearing from that genre, but its still super well made. The song I chose for the playlist, however, is “Complicity,” which is an old track he never officially released on Spotify until 2022. This song perfectly encapsulates the era of Thaehan I loved most.
  • Thylacine | 2 Albums | Electronic – Thylacine is one of my favorite artists to follow. He takes the idea of living with your music to a really fascinating level as he basically composes and produces all of his work on the road, usually with some kind of thematic focus in mind. His music videos are always incredible shots of various places around the world, and he’s always dabbling in local instruments and styles. His 2022 album “9 Pieces” finally gives a home for some of his side project singles that didn’t fit into the concept of his other albums.
  • TK From Ling Tosite Sigure | Various Singles | Japanese Rock – TK is the lead singer of Ling Tosite Sigure, who is my favorite Japanese band. As a solo artist, he’s been busier than ever. From gracing the roster of Chainsaw Man contributors to featuring in a Magic: The Gathering promo video, he’s been appearing in some beloved and unlikely places. His solo work tends to be a bit more experimental, orchestral, and sometimes pop-friendly, but his song for Chainsaw Man, “First Death,” is one of his strongest releases from either act.
  • Tobe Nwigwe | 1 Album | Rap – I don’t think any rapper’s grind and subsequent payoff can match Tobe Nwigwe, the “Wes Anderson” of rap. For the last roughly five years, this guy has been putting out intricately directed music videos at an insane pace. Sometimes as fast as once per week, for months in a row. He’s largely been in a position of confidently declaring that he deserves some acclaim, but never actually started receiving any until 2022. The planets finally aligned granting him a feature with Pharell Williams, a track on the Black Panther soundtrack, and culminating in a Best New Artist nomination at the Grammys. Did Tobe reach the finish line? Knowing his hustle, he’s not even close.
  • Tom Meighan | 1 EP | Rock – This one will take some explaining. Tom Meighan was the lead singer of the aforementioned Kasabian. He was kicked out of the band after pleading guilty to assaulting his fiancee. Since then, he has served his sentence, confirmed it was a singular isolated incident, and said he’s focusing everything on rebuilding his life. He’s even since married that same fiancee. So what does that mean? Well, normally this would simply mean I’d be done with the artist. I don’t condone violence, nor do I ever think its the right answer regarding your loved ones. However, is eternal chastisement the right answer if he really is looking to rebuild, and the victim themself is willing to stand by their side and help? It’s hard to say, and as a complete stranger to this guy, the closest I can get is through the song “Would you Mind,” which was the first song he released after this controversy. It could just be good songwriting pulling wool over my eyes, but something about his earnestness to fix himself comes through in this song, so I decided to share it as a question of where the line is in terms of forgiveness for people.
  • Translee | 1 EP, Various Singles | Rap – Translee is the rapper that I currently think boasts as much talent as the greatest out there, but simply can’t find the means to find that breakout hit to get his name out there. What I admire is that this does nothing to deter his artistic integrity. He continually just offers humbling advice, strong political commentary, and uplifting imagery, all wrapped up in his amazing rhyme schemes and soothing vocal delivery. I think Translee makes songs that are impossible to hate, but if he’s to ever become a bigger name, I think he just needs to continue on his path of building his foundation until he finally reaches the right people, very similar to Tobe Nwigwe’s journey.
  • Troyboi | 1 EP | Electronic/Hip Hop – Troyboi is a beatmaker, and one of my favorites who hails from the EDM scene. This year he released an EP “INFLUENDO” which takes Latin influences and mixes them into his trap beats. While many of Troyboi’s beats are simply not for me, every EP or album always has some keepers, and Influendo was no exception.
  • Two Feet | 1 Album | Alternative R&B – Two Feet has that sultry, sensual male vocal style that seems to permeate the alternative R&B scene these days, and I can’t say I’m not a fan. I think its a great marriage of laid back production and echo-ridden vocals and guitar. His song “Devil” felt like a good inclusion even if I’m not the biggest fan of the album as a whhole.
  • Updog | 1 Album, Various Singles | Alternative Pop – Guilty pleasure incoming. Updog is the complete distillation of high school angst with an ear for bouncy, catchy hooks. Sometimes I don’t like how low effort his songs feel, or how awkward his lyrics are, but when they do come together, which is fairly often, then I end up coming away with a perfectly satisfying song. He’s the kind of artist I’d love to showcase select songs, but wouldn’t want to have his discography on shuffle.
  • Vaundy | 1 EP, Varioius Singles | Japanese Pop-Rock – Vaundy catapulted into my library thanks to Ousama Ranking, which contains what is arguably one of the best opening sequences of anime last year. They are high on my list of bands to explore, but for now I’m content with including the one song I know from them.
  • Vicetone | Various Singles | Electronic – My friends and I have a running joke that if the song is catchy enough, its bound to be a new Vicetone song. To some, Vicetone’s musicianship may mean nothing, but as someone who doesn’t tire of simplistic regurgitated dance bops, you could do a lot worse than Vicetone. I think they are the perfect summer jam artist, and I don’t every really look at them deeper than that.
  • The Weeknd | 1 Album | Synth Pop – The Weeknd kicked off 2022 with his full-length synthesizer-fest, and I basically gobbled it up. While I liked After Hours more, this was easily one of my more preferred albums from this year. I didn’t like the radio cuts between some of the songs, but I adored the retro-infused style.
  • Weezer | 4 EPs | Rock – Weezer chose to drop 4 EPs all under the SZNZ name for each of the seasons throughout the year. Things were not looking good when it started. “SZNZ: Spring” was a folk-rock EP that didn’t seem to impress many, and set a bad tone going forward. Luckily, Summer was received even better, and that trend continued into Fall and finally into Winter. By the end, you could only hold up your thumb and say, “good job.” They executed the concept well, and Weezer continues to prove why they are still around.
  • Yeah Yeah Yeahs | 1 Album | Rock – “Cool it Down” is Yeah Yeah Yeahs first album in nearly ten years. While it wasn’t exactly a ten year treasure chest full of long lost wonders, I was generally pleased at having this band back. And thanks to the song “Burning” I have a new thumping intense track to listen to from them, having been obsessed with “Sacrilege” all these years.
  • YOASOBI | 1 Album, Varioius Singles | Japanese Pop – YOASOBI is becoming a mainstay in the anime scene thanks to their numerous hard to forget theme songs. You can hear the producer’s vocaloid roots in the production style, giving their whole discography a kind of jumpy mix of piano melodies and synths. 2022 saw their second E-side album which aren’t quite as great as their Book albums, but I personally really enjoyed “あの夢をなぞって (Ballade Ver.)”
  • Zella Day | 1 Album | Pop – Zella Day was an artist I nearly forgot about. It’s been seven years since their last album, and the singles were coming out slowly which always caused me to lose sight of the album’s eventual release. Well “Sunday in Heaven” finally did release and the wait was definitely worth it. It’s an inarguably solid pop album, and one I’d consider among the best in that genre this year, but I still couldn’t fully get into it as much as I wanted. “Mushroom Punch” is a fantastic single though, so I had to include it.
  • Zircon | 1 Single | Electronic – There was supposed to be an album!! I can’t hide my excitement and related deflation with this one. Zircon was the first electronic artist I ever became a fan of. Zircon ended 2021 with news that his album was close to finalization, yet 2022 came and went and now we’re back in the dark. Maybe 2023 will be the year, but until then, at least I have the first single “The Spire” to hold me over.
  • Zola Blood | 1 Album | Electronic – Marking this as only their second album, I went into “Black Blossom” expecting a very inconsequential listening experience. This was mainly because their first album was a largely ambient affair that fit better as background music than anything else. Even with such a quiet approach, their production has always been pretty captivating which is what made me follow them in the first place. Well, I was very pleasantly surprised with Black Blossom to the point that it stuck with me as a potential top album of the year ever since I first finished it.
  • フランシュシュ(Franchouchou) | 1 Album | Japanese Pop – Franchouchou is the real life counterpart to the fictional zombie idol group in the anime series Zombie Land Saga, and they double as my favorite idol group in general. 2022 saw the full album release of their songs from the previous year, which means I get to include 2021’s best opening in this playlist!
  • 万年 嵐子 (Ranko Mannen) | Various Singles | Japanese Pop – The song listed under this artist is the ending theme to the absolutely ludicrous anime, Akiba Maid War. It features one of the characters singing a mournful western-influenced ballad while also referencing maid-cafe things like “moe moe kyun.” This is very much in line with the anime’s mish mash of gang violence and maid cafe kawaii culture.
  • 大原 ゆい子 (Ohara Yuiko) | 1 EP | Japanese Pop – Yuiko Ohara has done the opening theme to all three seasons of Teasing Master Takagi-san, and I think if anybody here gets by on nostalgia, it’s her. I’ve grown to associate her voice and airy atmosphere with the sheer dopamine I get from watching this show. I feel like to others she may not stand out at all, but for me I’ve started to latch on to the peculiarities of her voice so that she does sound distinctive to me now.
  • 潟女DIY部!! (Do it Yourself Club | Various Singles | Japanese Pop – And here we are at the end with one of my ultimate comfort songs of 2022. The one song from this group is the theme song to the anime Do It Yourself!! which ended up becoming one of my most cherished songs after having it set the wonderful tone to each episode.



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