My Top 50 Songs of 2022
Featuring Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, Carly Rae Jepsen and plenty more
Folks, here we are. I’m going to keep the intro short because you know what this is and I will probably get close to my character limit. This is my list (emphasis on MY list, don’t yell at me!) of the 50 best songs that came out this year, ranked 50 to 1. The only rule past that is there’s a max of two songs per artist (features not included) so I can show some more variety.
There will also be a playlist link for Apple Music and Spotify in the near future, so stay tuned.
50.) pg baby (Remix) - redveil and Denzel Curry — Really enjoy what redveil is doing, and this is my favorite from him thanks to some excellent production and a great Denzel Curry feature.
49.) I’m In Love With You - The 1975 — The new 1975 album was greater than the sum of its parts, but this simple, infectious song is the one I kept coming back to.
48.) Cash In Cash Out (ft. 21 Savage and Tyler, The Creator) - Pharrell Williams — The beat here isn’t the most exciting by Pharrell standards, but both 21 Savage and Tyler, The Creator elevate it to new heights with an excellent set of verses.
47.) This Hell - Rina Sawayama — Rina Sawayama went full pop here and it just works. It’s a simple, but unbelievably catchy song that’s among her best.
46.) Daytona Sand - Orville Peck — I am not a country music guy, but Orville Peck is making country that I really, really enjoy. The opener to his latest album is a great example as to why.
45.) Weight - Connor Young — There’s something about this song that just completely sucks me in. The beat and the slick vocals just make for a perfect spacey trap package.
44.) Late Night Talking - Harry Styles — Harry Styles’ new album has a variety of highlights, one of which being this terrific pop tune that stood out as a highlight immediately. The production is so much fun, and a great complement to Harry’s vocals.
43.) deepfake - brakence — This brakence album is truly special, and this moment toward the back half is a real jaw-dropper. It’s a slow build that feels fully worth it.
42.) Zatoichi (ft. slowthai) - Denzel Curry — What a year it was for Denzel Curry. There are plenty of songs I could have chose from this album, but one of them had to be Zatoichi, a wholly unique mix of Denzel’s intense flows, an almost ethereal beat and a terrific slowthai feature on the chorus.
41.) Hold My Head - Kenny Beats — This may just be an instrumental that lasts less than two minutes, but it’s simply that good, full of life and worthy of standing alone that I had to include it.
40.) Sunset - Caroline Polachek — Caroline Polachek is one of the most unique pop artists working today, and this single off her upcoming album is another example of how much range she possesses.
39.) MAN ON THE MOON - BROCKHAMPTON — This song, off what appears to be BROCKHAMPTON’s final album, is a perfect encapsulation of what I loved about this group. If I heard this song with no context, I’d have no idea this was the same group who made rap bangers like HEAT and STAR. This sounds nothing like BROCKHAMPTON, and it absolutely bangs anyway.
38.) The Place Where He Inserted the Blade - Black Country, New Road — Black Country, New Road’s newest album was an early-year delight, and this seven-minute odyssey of a song feels like the album’s climax in all the best ways.
37.) Heart on Fire - Little Simz — Little Simz dropped one of the best albums of the year three days ago, so picking a favorite already was a difficult task. This song is already standing out, thanks to, of course, Simz’s unbelievably great delivery and lyrics.
36.) Bad Habit - Steve Lacy — This song is as popular as it is because it’s extremely damn good. The guitars, Lacy’s vocals, it’s all excellent.
35.) Ghost in the Machine (ft. Phoebe Bridgers) - SZA — This is another song that is extremely new, but I’m confident in this one. A Phoebe Bridgers-SZA combo sounded too good to be true, and it completely delivered on all fronts.
34.) Sacrifice - The Weeknd — Man, I love where The Weeknd has taken his sound. “Sacrifice” has these slick guitars and that, paired with the vocal effects on the chorus, makes this one a standout on “Dawn FM”
33.) Shotgun - Soccer Mommy — Soccer Mommy is another really exciting voice in alternative pop, and this opening single off her new album is a nice mix of her more experimental sounds over a catchy, accessible hook.
32.) SHOTS! - JELEEL! and Denzel Curry — An adrenaline shot to the heart of a song, I’m ready to fight God anytime I hear it. JELEEL’s high-pitched delivery works perfectly here, and then Denzel comes in with an excellent guest feature. It’s a work of art.
31.) Kody Blu 31 - JID — I didn’t know JID had this in him. This song, a slow, melodic cut off “The Forever Story,” highlights why JID is so special. It’s as good as most of his more upbeat tracks thanks to his unbelievable range as an artist.
30.) Anti-Hero - Taylor Swift — Sometimes a song can be so catchy that it overcomes a bit of corniness. That is the case here. There are some lyrics here I don’t love, and I simply don’t care. This is one of Taylor’s most irresistible pop songs ever, and I still adore that staring into the sun line on the chorus.
29.) CUFF IT - Beyonce — Picking Beyonce songs off of “RENAISSANCE” is like picking favorite children. Still, despite how cohesive it is, “CUFF IT” stands out for its smooth, head-bobbing sound and one of Beyonce’s smoothest hooks.
28.) Vinyl Days (ft. DJ Premier) - Logic — After years of underwhelming, Logic has made a few really great albums in the past few years. “Vinyl Days” was another success, and the title track is all the reasons why. Get him on an old-school beat and Logic has the talent to elevate it to a whole new level.
27.) Talking to Yourself - Carly Rae Jepsen — Carly Rae Jepsen deserves her place among pop royalty as she keeps delivering bop after bop. This was the best track of many heaters off her latest album.
26.) Love Me More - Mitski — It feels like it’s been years since this song came out, but no, this was a January release that still hits all the same. The piano keys and synth beat work perfectly over Mitski’s lovely vocals.
25.) It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody - Weyes Blood — Weyes Blood is a truly special, one-of-a-kind artist that manages to make a six-minute song an absolute stunner without any issue, which she does here.
24.) Easy - MisterWives — MisterWives wasn’t even on my radar to start this year, then they dropped some of the catchiest songs I’ve ever heard. “Easy” is one of them. It’s a perfect use of that retro synth sound that just nails everything that makes a pop song so enjoyable.
23.) Hold The Girl - Rina Sawayama — Rina’s latest album didn’t stick with me as much as the one prior, but the title track did. It’s the song that seemed to best utilize Rina’s truly unbelievable vocals, especially in the back section.
22.) Come On, Let’s Go - Tyler, The Creator and Nigo — It feels like Tyler can’t miss these days. Yes, the beat here is incredible, but Tyler steals the show, per usual, with clever bars and a delightful flow leading into a chorus which he also kills.
21.) This Is Why - Paramore — They are back, I’m so happy they’re back. Paramore is dipping back into the alternative punk sound they made their name on, and it feels as fresh as ever. This band can never die.
20.) The 30th - Billie Eilish — Billie moved away from her typical sound with a few acoustic tracks this year, this one being my favorite. This story about a tragic accident is one of Billie’s all-time best vocal performances, with a bridge that stands among the best musical highlights of the year.
19.) N95 - Kendrick Lamar — Kendrick Lamar, once again, delivered in a big way with his newest album, and while there were plenty of deep cuts that could be here, this is the one I kept coming back for. This track, named after a mask, uses that metaphor excellently throughout. But it is the completely insane production and Kendrick’s variety of sound changeups that make this such a highlight.
18.) Out of Time - The Weeknd — From second one, this song just hits. From the silky smoothness that The Weeknd is so good at to the luscious instrumental and one of the best hooks he’s ever made, “Out of Time” is perfect new Weeknd.
17.) Simulation Swarm - Big Thief — Another January release that I kept returning to. There is something so appealing about what Big Thief is doing here, even in a folk-heavy genre that can often feel uninteresting. Not on this album and especially not here with “Simulation Swarm,” a song that feels like comfort food and a warm hug.
16.) Bumblebee - Dora Jar — I have really enjoyed Dora Jar’s recent output of songs, but no song better encapsulates her charm like “Bumblebee.” Here, she perfectly hits that child-like charm with a song so wonderfully immature. It puts a smile on my face every time I listen to it.
15.) As It Was - Harry Styles — Yeah, yeah. As time went on, I could only try to pretend that this wasn’t the best song on Harry’s new album. This is one of Harry’s best songs period, a lovely pop tune with an addictive quality to it.
14.) Baby Queen - Gorillaz — This new Gorillaz albums has all the makings to be among their best if the singles are any inclination. No single hit me as hard or as immediately as “Baby Queen,” which has the qualities of one of those Gorillaz songs that makes you melt into your seat in all the best ways.
13.) ALIEN SUPERSTAR - Beyonce — This song freaking rocks man. Beyonce’s weirdest moment on “RENAISSANCE” manages to pull off a “too sexy for my shirt” cadence on the hook and make it brilliant. It manages to turn an odd drum, bass-heavy beat into a banger. It’s as unique and alien sounding as the superstar at the forefront, a perfect encapsulation of what makes Beyonce what she is.
12.) Home By Now - MUNA — MUNA has proven capable of making bops and being a whole lot of fun, but this song proved to me just how good they are at whatever they want to do.
11.) Brockhampton - BROCKHAMPTON — I needed closure like this. Second album aside, this was the moment I wanted out of BROCKHAMPTON’s final works. It’s a simple moment: Kevin Abstract talking through some of the group’s highs and lows, why it all fell apart and why it was all worth it in the end. Fan service or not, it is beautifully executed and nearly moves me to tears when I listen to it.
10.) God Turn Me Into a Flower - Weyes Blood
It’s hard to put into words why I love this song so much. But it’s really just because of what Weyes Blood is able to do as an artist. Whenever I hear this song, I am transported into her world, living through each word she says in this slow build until the song, and subject, comes to full bloom.
9.) That’s Where I Am - Maggie Rogers
Maggie Rogers was coming off such a high on her last album, so I really needed a single to make me think she could be on the verge of something better. Then “That’s Where I Am” came on, and I vividly remember having a “holy shit” reaction. This is Maggie’s best song, a jolt of energy with exceptional vocals and production to boot.
8.) Lavender Haze - Taylor Swift
Say what you want about “Midnights,” but I think it’s pretty damn great. But it does peak with the album’s opener, a pop masterpiece by someone who has dominated the genre for nearly a decade. This is one of Taylor’s sharpest pop songs ever, a unique addition to her deeply impressive discography.
7.) Sugar/Tzu - black midi
Trying to explain this song in any capacity feels hopeless. What black midi does is create musical chaos, and their best work to date is easily this track, which is nearly four minutes of consistent twists, turns and pure unhinged insanity. I cannot get enough of it.
6.) Where Do We Go From Here? - MisterWives
MisterWives, where did THIS come from? This is a perfect synth pop song: It has the catchy beat, chorus and an excellent build toward the finish. There’s nothing here that sets the world on fire, and yet I could not turn this song off as hard as I tried. Nothing in the music world surprised me more than MisterWives did in 2022. Now I’m begging for the new album.
5.) Sidelines - Phoebe Bridgers
Phoebe Bridgers cannot miss, not even on a single for a TV show. On the surface, this is another slow burn Phoebe song with the same sharp lyricism and delightful vocals we are accustomed to. But there’s some actual optimism and positivity in the lyrics here that I think works excellently. Even without an album, Phoebe Bridgers has had another big year, and it’s nice to see everyone realizing at once that she is a true one-of-a-kind talent.
4.) Dance Now - JID and Kenny Mason
JID dropped a masterpiece album in 2022, and it was this single that made me realize something special was coming. JID has always shown the potential to be great, but this song felt like he was fully realizing it. It’s a smoother, slower rap song that has more of a melody than most in the genre. Instead of relying on intensity, JID’s flow is laid back and brilliant, making every word in the verses stand out. JID is one of the best rappers alive, and a song executed as well as “Dance Now” made that clear.
3.) Glimpse of Us - Joji
It is rare that a song comes along and sends chills down your spine the way “Glimpse of Us” does. It’s a simple song in concept with a piano as its backdrop and Joji’s melancholy delivery as the focal point. And yet, it’s one of the most stunning songs I’ve heard in years. All the simplicity works in its favor thanks to the heartbreaking lyrics and Joji’s vocals, which are oozing with emotion. Joji has now made two songs that are among the best of the past decade. When he hits, he smashes it out of the goddamn park like he did here.
2.) The Heart Part 5 - Kendrick Lamar
There is no one like Kendrick Lamar, whose best song of the year, even with an exceptional album, is a single not on the album. This song, spanning over five minutes, covers a variety of key topics using multiple perspectives in the Black community. It ends with a touching verse in the perspective of the late Nipsey Hussle, all of over this beautiful jazz beat. It’s as ambitious as it is perfectly done, and is one of the best songs in the career of an all-time great.
1.) Walkin - Denzel Curry
This song came out in January, and even then I though this might be the best song I hear all year. No matter what came out in 2022, I always found myself asking, “But is it better than Walkin?”
Turns out that answer was always no. The lead single on Denzel Curry’s terrific album is everything that makes for a perfect rap song. The lyrics are potent, sometimes inspiring, the chorus is irresistible and the beat is one of my favorites of the past few years.
What brings it all together, though, is Denzel, who has the performance of a lifetime here. This felt like a pivotal moment for him, even with all the great work he had done before. “Walkin” doesn’t sound quite like anything he had done before, and Denzel Curry turned it into the best song of 2022 anyway. What a talent.
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