My Favorite Songs Of 2022 So Far
A top 10 of the best six months of music I can remember
As a reminder, THERE WILL BE NO MONDAY HOOPLA POST FOR JULY 4. The next post after this one will be on Thursday, July 7, and then the Big Ten previews will continue on July 11. Thank you love you.
Coming into 2022, if you were to ask me the best year of music that I could remember, I would have said 2016. Look at the albums that were dropped that year, it’s obscene. But, six months into this year, 2022 looks like it could compete.
As with last year, I am doing a mid-season review of my favorite songs through June. At the end of the year, I will have a much longer, much more thought out list of my top songs and albums in order. This is not that. This is my 10 favorite songs, ordered alphabetically, for you to (hopefully) enjoy in the mean time.
Home By Now - MUNA
MUNA first caught my attention when the group combined with Phoebe Bridgers for “Silk Chiffon,” one of my favorite songs of 2021. That song may be in its own league, but MUNA has not slowed down, dropping banger after banger for its self-titled album that released last week.
“Home By Now” is my favorite of the remaining singles. It’s got a great techno groove that explodes in the chorus, followed by a deeply infectious hook. It’s a song that you can’t help but sing along to whenever it’s on, something that MUNA is far too good at doing time and time again.
Glimpse of Us - Joji
This song has fucked me up.
Joji is a good artist that seems to keep improving as he moves further and further from his YouTube roots. Occasionally, that leads to an out-of-nowhere masterpiece. First, that was “SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK” and now it is “Glimpse of Us,” a song that’s equal parts heartbreaking and beautiful.
The lyrics are relatively simple, matching well with the piano instrumental, but both of those combined with Joji’s silky smooth delivery makes for something special that I keep coming back to. It feels almost cinematic the way this song completely wraps you in. To top if all off, the music video is up there with some of the best I’ve ever seen.
Out of Time - The Weeknd
It’s hard to pick just one track off The Weeknd’s “Dawn FM,” another excellent album in this new (and improved) sound. My current lean is “Out of Time,” one of the catchier tracks on the record.
I love the little details found all over the production, and they fit perfectly with The Weeknd’s vocals throughout. This doesn’t have quite the build of others on the album, but it’s an excellent listen from start to finish, and further proof of how much The Weeknd has developed his sound over the years.
Sidelines - Phoebe Bridgers
Phoebe Bridgers dropped a song, so Phoebe Bridgers has a spot on this list. It's another slower track with a nice kick drum beat and lyrics that feel both sad and uplifting in a way only Phoebe can.
There’s just something about how Phoebe writes and delivers her lyrics that makes them punch, and “Sidelines” is another gem to add to her growing list of brilliance. The only thing I can hope for now is an album in the near future.
Simulation Swarm - Big Thief
Big Thief went out and made one of the most enjoyable albums of the year, a lengthy work of peaceful acoustic cuts that are perfect for any setting. Of these, “Simulation Swarm” is one of the clear standouts.
This song is a pure delight to listen to. The guitars are plucky and bright, the vocals are soothing but pick up the energy when needed and the experience, as is the case with this entire album, is just so much fun.
That’s Where I Am - Maggie Rogers
There was no debate that one of the Maggie Rogers singles would make this list, the debate just came down to which one. And for how much I love “Want Want,” I have to go with the opening single, an absolute heater that revved up my anticipation for the new album by 1000.
I really enjoyed Maggie’s last album and would have enjoyed this one if it followed a similar sound. Instead, the added rock infusion to “That’s Where I Am” gave her that extra kick. The result is one of the catchiest songs of the year.
The Heart Part 5 - Kendrick Lamar
Yes, I loved “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers,” and a wide list of songs off that album could very well jump this over time. But right now, if I think of the best song Kendrick Lamar put out in 2022, I have to go with the teaser track “The Heart Part 5.”
This thing is a masterpiece. Over the course of 5:32, Kendrick speaks, like he has so many times before, on what’s on his mind, this time about his change of perspective and about what he’s done for the culture. The instrumental is smooth and the video is worth another conversation entirely for how good it is, but it’s Kendrick’s delivery over these clear, hard-hitting verses that makes this stand out as one of his all-time best songs.
The Place Where He Inserted the Blade - Black Country, New Road
I will not rest until everyone listens to the new Black Country, New Road album.
While I am forcing myself to wait until the end of the year to properly talk about “Ants From Up There,” I simply had to pick one of the songs off it to discuss here, and that happened to be this long-named beast of a song.
“The Place Where He Inserted the Blade” encapsulates BCNR in a lot of ways. It is a lengthy song with many phases, all of which are perfectly conceptualized and delivered on. The instrumentation on these songs are so dense, almost smothering at times, and the way BCNR is able to build a song out over seven minutes of runtime is something to behold. This is a stunning moment on a stunning album, and it deserves your attention.
This Hell - Rina Sawayama
Rina Sawayama is one of the most exciting pop artists in the game today, and “This Hell” is up there with some of her catchiest tunes yet.
There’s no one who really sounds like Rina, from the vocals to the production those vocals go over. While “This Hell” isn’t among her most creative ventures, it still stands out to me as a deeply effective banger that stands up to multiple repeat listens. The album can’t come soon enough.
Walkin - Denzel Curry
Am I saving the best for last here? I might be.
Denzel Curry has quietly been one of the most consistent artists over the past six years, and that continued with the release of his newest album “Melt My Eyez See Your Future.” The first single to it was “Walkin,” and what a jaw-dropping opening it was.
This is Denzel a little less aggressive and a little smoother. It also has a terrific little switch up around the 90-second mark, and from there it’s off to the races. Everything this song attempts to do works. The chorus is catchy, Denzel’s flow is outstanding and the “ahahahahhhhhh” samples with the punchy drums and bass makes for one of the best rap songs not only of this year, but of the 2020s.
“Walkin” takes advice from its own lyrics and just keeps going, and it just keeps getting better for nearly five straight minutes. It’s hard to fathom that Denzel Curry could up himself at this point, but this single proved he is far from at his ceiling as an artist.
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