My Favourite Albums of 2022 (Part 3)

A lot of music came out in 2022, in every genre, and most importantly, a lot of good music came out in 2022. I heard a lot of music this year and discovered a lot of new artists that blew me away with the brilliant output they produced throughout the year. In the hope of being more active in the coming year on this page and closing the year on a good note, here is the final part of a three-part series of my favorite records that came out this year. 

Renaissance

by Beyoncé

This record is everything that a grand record from a world-famous artist should be. It’s immaculately produced with an extraordinary vocal performance from Beyoncé. Renaissance is a celebration of dance music at it’s finest, with heavy club bangers that will help people dance their nights away. I never understood the hype behind Beyoncé before this and now I can say that I’m a fan. 

It’s Almost Dry

by Pusha T

One of the most hyped-up rap records of the year didn’t disappoint one bit, and how could it? It had everything going for it with half of the album produced by Pharrell Williams and the other half by Ye, while the cocaine doctor spazzed some of his best rhymes behind the microphone. ‘It’s Almost Dry’ is a dark and gritty listen with Pusha T experimenting and pushing his limits and proving how he’s one of the best rappers in the game right now. 

Ants From Up There

by Black Country, New Road

Ants From Up There is a beautifully made masterpiece that takes time and understanding to fully devour in all its glory. What makes this record stand out is its haunting and beautiful vocal performance from their vocalist, Issac Wood, who shines brightly through his tortured voice throughout the record. Ants From Up There gives us so much to think about and unpack from each listen and I’m grateful that we get to see a band rise to unprecedented heights with music that is going to be praised for a long time. 

Heroes and Villains

by Metro Boomin

Metro Boomin is one of the greatest figures in the trap rap lane and each album he drops is no less than a spectacle. With ‘Heroes and Villains’, Metro brings together his friends and fellow collaborators for an incredible album that is filled with banger after banger. It’s a delight to listen to Future, Young Thug, Travis Scott, Don Toliver, and 21 Savage at their best, while the inclusion of guests like The Weeknd, Mustafa the Poet, ASAP Rocky, and the legendary Morgan Freeman adds to the cinematic experience of the record. Metro Boomin is the hero that trap rap needs and I’m glad that we keep getting these beautiful records from him. 

Melt My Eyez See Your Future

by Denzel Curry

Denzel Curry is a supremely talented rapper and is always consistent with some of the finest albums that are filled with introspective and thought-proving cuts and fired-up bangers. Melt My Eyez See Your Future is like a walk with Denzel Curry, where he speaks his mind out and tells you how much he has evolved as a person. He gives us a record that is deeply personal and he puts everything that he has into this record. Everything from his flows, and beats to the features seems handpicked with laser focus and he does this all with precision. A special mention to the deluxe version with live sessions of the songs, which makes them even better than the original one. 

Bhram

by Prabh Deep

Prabh Deep is the shining light of DHH which makes music at par with international artists and often goes beyond them. Every Prabh Deep record seems deeply personal and extremely relatable, it feels like life lessons that Prabh Deep is giving without being overly preachy or sounding boastful. Bhram is the much-anticipated follow-up to Prabh Deep’s last record ‘Tabia’, which takes his journey towards self-discovery to a point where things start making sense and he is getting a grip on the position/situation he is in. He continues experimenting with his sounds and pushing the boundaries of what he can do. Bhram is another well-crafted record that will stay in my rotation for a very long time. 

Mr. Moral And The Big Steppers

by Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar is one of the biggest names in hip hop right now and Mr. Morale And The Big Steppers was his much-anticipated followup to the hugely successful ‘DAMN’, which cemented him as the greatest rapper of the current generation. Mr. Morale and The Big Steppers is Kendrick’s most personal and heartfelt record. Listening to it feels like sitting with Kendrick in one of his therapy sessions where he is accepting his own flaws and pleading that he is not the savior for a generation that looks up to him for answers. Through his music, Kendrick has always shined a light on glaring issues in society and this time he shines one without trying to do that. He talks about breaking a generational curse and setting yourself free from the trauma and the expectations of the world and of your own self. This record might not give the answers that people were expecting from him, but this record breaks the shackles he’s been putting himself in and he can finally express his feelings the way he wants. 

The Forever Story

by JID

In the song, ‘Dance Now’, JID says that “He should be good man, he signed to Cole” and this record will solidify that he’s good because he is a great rapper and not because he is signed to Cole. The Forever Story is an incredible project that is laced with bangers and some of the most hard-hitting songs that have come out this year. JID switches his flows tons of times and it’s almost impossible to predict what he’s going to do on a song. JID finds interesting vocal pockets and goes incredibly deep into them and just bounces back out of them as easily as he goes into them. Even the beat selection across The Forever Story is impressive, as executive producer Christo and a handful of others offer up a varied pack of slappers and pretty orchestral arrangements. With this record, JID solidifies himself as a breathtaking performer, whose next release will definitely be on my radar. 

Dawn FM

by The Weeknd

Dawn FM is my album of the year for 2022. The Weeknd had been on cloud nine with his victory lap that he got from After Hours and everyone was looking to see how his next record will shape up. Much to my delight, Dawn FM exceeded my expectations and is an even deeper dive into the mind of The Weeknd. Dawn FM is a conceptual masterpiece of someone who is stuck in purgatory, listening to the soundtrack of purgatory 103.5 Dawn FM. There are dance floor bangers, blissful ballads, and deep introspective cuts on the radio of 103.5 Dawn Fm. On this record, the Weeknd has gone all-in on a biblical fantasia, melding frisson and fear into euphoric disco and ’80s R&B with life-and-death stakes. And for the first time in all his dead-eyed chronicles of debauchery, he sounds a little scared about it. The best thing about Dawn Fm is that it sees The Weeknd at his most vulnerable self, trying to fight for his life and owning up to the things that he has done. It’s his most vulnerable self and his self-realistic site is a beautifully crafted tale.

Thank you for checking my year-end list. Do let me know what you think about my list and what would you pick as your top albums of 2022. Do check out the first two parts as well to see my complete list of this year’s top projects.