2022 was an outstanding year for music. It’s hard to narrow the best down to just 10, but here are the
top 10 albums of 2022.

10. Hellfire by Black Midi
An experimental spoken word album, Hellfire is full of outstanding instrumentals and is no doubt one of
the most creative albums released this year. Best song: Welcome to Hell

9. Aethiopes by Billy Woods
Abstract hip-hop artist Billy Woods dropped his best album in years. Haunting production, strong
delivery, and intense descriptive lyrism make this record a must-listen. Best song: Remorseless

8. Sick! by Earl Sweatshirt
A short but sweet album sees the former Odd Future prodigy experimenting with production styles and
lyrical elements that he never focused on in the past. It has more of an optimistic tone than his past
projects and revolves around his experiences during and after the pandemic. Best song: Fire in the Hole

7. Super Tecmo Bo by Boldy James and The Alchemist
While technically released in December of 2021, it definitely counts as a 2022 album. There are few
artist-producer combos better than Boldy James and the Alchemist. James’ deep voice and smooth,
rhythmic flow complement the heavy drums beautifully.

6. God Save the Animals by Alex G
Indie artist Alex G delivered a beautifully crafted album in God Save the Animals. He delivers a unique
vocal versatility, even dabbling in auto tune. The album is also self-produced. The songwriting is simple
but effective as well. Best song: Runner

5. Kiss the Ring by Rome Streetz
Rome Streetz may not have the highest monthly listener count next to his name on Spotify, but don’t let
that deceive you. This blistering, boom bap style album is a display of raw talent. It sounds like an early
2000s New York hip hop record. Rome spits bars over gritty beats crafted by producer Conductor
Williams. It’s consistent from top to bottom. Best song: Ugly Balenciaga’s

4. Caprisongs by FKA Twigs
British singer FKA Twigs is one of the best vocalists in pop music right now, and her ability is on full
display during Caprisongs. The album itself is a celebration of the life she’s living right now, and you can
almost think of it as a victory lap for overcoming her past traumas. The melodies are beautiful, and there
is not one subpar song on this record. Best song: Careless

3. Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar is arguably the greatest rapper of all time, and while his latest album might have fallen
slightly short of expectations, but it is still fantastic nonetheless. Filled with conceptual depth, Mr.
Morale exceeds at hiding deeper meanings inside of extremely enjoyable songs, like N95 and Silent Hill.
Mirror is one of the best outro tracks in recent years, where Kendrick raps “Sorry I couldn’t change the
world my friend, I was too busy building mine again,” on the last verse. This perfectly captures the
album’s main concept; that Kendrick is only human. Despite the name he has built for himself, he is not
your savior, he’s just like all of us. Best song: Mirror

2. The Forever Story by JID
JID has been one of, if not the most talented rappers in the game for years now. His fast, articulate flows
and masterful lyrism have gained him a lot of attention, but many people were still looking for him to
take the next step. That is exactly what he did. The forever Story has the whole package. His flows,
storytelling, and wordplay deserve an article of their own. JID even shows off his angelic singing voice on
the emotional Kody Blu 31, which might be the best song of the entire year.

1. Ants From Up There by Black Country, New Road.

Not much needs to be said. A 10/10 album that takes you on an emotional journey. If the phrase “You
can hear the emotion in his voice” was a person, it would be lead singer Isaac Wood. The album is
almost theatrical. It covers so many areas of pain and trauma coming from Isaac’s relationship, all
building up to the tipping point on the track Basketball Shoes. Best song: the aforementioned Basketball
Shoes