The Sun’s Something For The Weekend names top 50 albums of 2022 – which record was at the top?
2022 was full of successful records, from music icons to breakthrough acts.
Here, SFTW's Jacqui Swift and Simon Cosyns reveal their top 50 albums of the year.
50) WARPAINT - RADIATE LIKE THIS
A LONG-OVERDUE return for the all-female Californian quartet.
If the template was their spacey electronica, there was still room for variation.
They presented the dancefloor-primed Hips, the airy, playful Stevie and the more reflective Trouble.
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49) BJORK - FOSSORA
THE Icelandic icon dealt with the death of her environmental activist mother.
The Hamrahlid Choir gave the eulogy Sorrowful Soil a timeless feel while Ancestress was composed of just Bjork and son Sindri’s vocals among a scattering of chimes and strings.
48) CAITLIN ROSE - CAZIMI
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THE Nashville singer built a reputation for wistful and witty lyrics set to a gorgeous blend of country, folk and rock.
Then life got in the way. Ten years after album No 2, she returned with a powerful exploration of her dreams and dis- appointments.
47) THE WEEKND - DAWN FM
A CONCEPT album with actor Jim Carrey voicing idents for an imaginary radio station broadcasting from the afterlife.
Looking to death for inspiration, this was a measure of his genius, matching cool 80s synth euphoria with the darkest of themes.
46) BILL CALLAHAN - YTI⅃AƎЯ
WITH his deep downbeat voice, the ex-Smog man set long dark nights of the soul to music.
Now, thanks to domestic bliss, rays of sunshine have been filtering into his songs. Centrepiece Coyotes proved a horn-washed highlight in his stellar catalogue.
45) THE BLACK KEYS - DROPOUT BOOGIE
SINGER/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Pat Carney recaptured the spirit of their devil-may-care early days.
Their loose and loud studio effort paid homage to their “college dropout” younger selves who were low on cash but high on determination.
44) KASABIAN - THE ALCHEMIST'S EUPHORIA
THE first album with Serge Pizzorno as frontman was an album that combined the musician’s love of hip-hop, dance beats and huge Italian film scores.
It followed some of Kasabian’s very best live reviews and was the sound of a band reborn.
43) ROSALIA - MOTOMAMI
SPANISH superstar Rosalia blurred the boundaries between classical and pop with flamenco sounds.
This third album saw her at her most experimental. An energised and dynamic record featuring collaborations with James Blake and Pharrell Williams.
42) BROKEN BELLS - INTO THE BLUE
BACK with their first full-length album in eight years, Danger Mouse and The Shins’ James Mercer gave us nine songs with a psychedelic, space-rock vibe.
Mercer’s wavering tones, shimmering guitars and dark lyrics came with richly atmospheric backing.
41) FONTAINES D.C. - SKINTY FIA
THE London-based Irish post-punk band were back with their most ambitious album yet.
It featured fizzing Jackie Down The Line and mournful The Couple Across The Way, proving a growing maturity since the youthful exuberance of 2019 debut Dogrel.
40) THE UNTHANKS - SORROWS AWAY
FOR the past two decades, Northumbrian sisters Rachel and Becky Unthank have helped bring folk music into the 21st century.
Their latest opus, Sorrows Away, was a forward-facing joy, defined by lovely voices which went together like fish and chips.
39) STEVE LACY - GEMINI RIGHTS
THE second album from the Kendrick Lamar and Solange collaborator explored the aftermath of heartbreak and earned comparisons to Prince for its mix of funk, jazz and rock.
Outstanding record by an artist furthering his growing reputation.
38) MUSE - WILL OF THE PEOPLE
PAST albums from Matt Bellamy & Co have described a fictional, dystopian world but Will Of The People looked at what’s happening in the real world.
Influenced by Black Lives Matter and the Capitol riots in the US, it proved a powerful set piece.
37) RICHARD DAWSON - THE RUBY CORD
IT was hard to fully describe the singular Geordie’s music in words – avant-folk, maybe.
The last part of a trilogy, this was his apocalyptic vision of the future and it began with the sprawling, 41-minute (yes, that’s not a typo) opening track The Hermit.
36) LIZZO - SPECIAL
THE Grammy-winning US singer’s positivity has always shone through and this record was no different with moments of real joy and humour.
She spent so much time celebrating womanhood that she deserved to be celebrated herself.
35) DANGER MOUSE & BLACK THOUGHT - CHEAT CODES
ESTEEMED producer teamed up with revered rapper from The Roots and the result was reliably engaging.
Each brought their A game and, from the get-go with Sometimes, we got a sumptuous, old-school soul vibe.
34) FRED AGAIN - ACTUAL LIFE 3 (JANUARY 1 – SEPTEMBER 9, 2022)
FRED Gibson has worked with Stormzy and Ed Sheeran.
This was the award-winning producer’s latest instalment in his project of albums started as scrapbooks of voice memos, his favourite artists and social media clips.
33) YARD ACT - THE OVERLOAD
THE debut album from the Leeds rabble-rousers featured likeable post-punk cut through with humorous social commentary.
It made for some hilarious storytelling with observational lyrics in the style of Mark E Smith, with plenty of wit and charisma.
32) WILCO - CRUEL COUNTRY
JEFF Tweedy finally went back to his roots.
His first foray into recorded music was with alt-country pioneers Uncle Tupelo but since forming Wilco 28 years ago, he pushed them to bold sonic horizons . . . until this glorious stripped-back, 21-track double.
31) ARCTIC MONKEYS - THE CAR
SINGER Turner appeared to morph into his Sheffield crooner mate Richard Hawley, his languid delivery backed by a sophisticated, soul-funk rhythm.
The transition began on Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino but these songs had a more fully realised aesthetic.
30) PHOENIX - ALPHA ZULU
THE seventh album from the French indie pop band was playful and ever changing with sweet hooks alongside restless beats and wonky electronics.
Dedicated to late friend and collaborator DJ and producer Philippe Zdar, it was a celebration. Tres Bon.
29) EELS - EXTREME WITCHCRAFT
IF 2020’s Earth To Dora, captured E’s softer, introspective songwriting, this one was riff-laden, funky and definitely to be played loud.
“Sometimes you just gotta rock,” E told SFTW.
“After doing so much of one thing, you want to go the other way.”
28) LOYLE CARNER - HUGO
RISING star Carner allied soul-searching rhymes with laidback hip-hop grooves. An instinctive storyteller, his personal tales hit the mark on a universal level.
Writing in lockdown, he found space to ponder crucial issues of race and identity.
27) SPIRITUALIZED - EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTIFUL
AN eclectic tour de force of gospel, blues, country and, as you do, expansive Krautrock freakouts.
It included the steady-rolling Let It Bleed, dedicated to Iggy Pop, a source of inspiration since, as a teenager, J. Spaceman bought one of his LPs in Boots.
26) STORMZY - THIS IS WHAT I MEAN
THE triumphant and swaggering title track on this third album was a statement of absolute creative freedom of expression.
Many tracks were a stream of political and critical commentary. Clear and candid, Stormzy is not scared to tell it like it was.
25) YEAH YEAH YEAHS - COOL IT DOWN
THE first album in nine years from the New York trio, led by the effortlessly stylish Karen O, was an event to be celebrated.
It was a credit to them that even in the era of nostalgia tours, they were still pursuing new sounds and testing boundaries.
24) DRY CLEANING - STUMPWORK
FIRST a shoutout for the funniest album cover of the year.
The music’s not at all bad either, with Florence Shaw’s deadpan view of life’s rich tapestry framed by indie-pop settings that sparkle and, in the case of Hot Penny Day, strike a handsome groove.
23) FATHER JOHN MISTY - CHLOE & THE NEXT 20TH CENTURY
THIS dark magnum opus explored the human condition through the prism of Hollywood.
By drawing on the big-band era, on singers like Harry Nilsson and Randy Newman, and on his indie sensibilities, FJM created a world all his own.
22) THE SMILE - A LIGHT FOR ATTRACTING ATTENTION
THIS side project from Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood first appeared in lockdown during the 2021 Glastonbury livestream.
They embraced angular, post-punk and harked back to Pablo Honey. Brilliant.
21) JAMIE T - THE THEORY OF WHATEVER
THERE’S nothing quite like a Jamie T record, from the singular turns of phrase to the unexpected twists and turns of the music.
For example, I give you the song on which he intones “I’m keying Lamborghinis in my mind” over an insistent hip-hop groove.
20) FIRST AID KID - PALOMINO
IT has taken well over a decade in the business for Swedish sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg to channel their inner Abba.
On album No.5, they allowed their pop heritage into the mix without abandoning the folk/Americana sound we love them for.
19) ARCADE FIRE - WE
SPLIT into two distinct halves, this was the Canadian band’s life-affirming soundtrack to our challenging times.
First side “I” captured feelings of fear and isolation while flip side “WE” focused on themes of love, commitment and, ultimately, hope.
18) ANGEL OLSEN - BIG TIME
IT felt as if everything led up to this moment for Olsen. With her sultry, soulful voice, she delivered a thing of liquid beauty.
Opener All The Good Times proved that country music can sound effortlessly cool and Dream Thing was, er, genuinely dreamy.
17) TEARS FOR FEARS - THE TIPPING POINT
IT’S been 17 years since Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith released a studio album and the wait was worth it.
An album born from grief, Rivers Of Mercy and Long, Long, Long Times were two of their career best songs. Outstanding.
16) MARCUS MUMFORD (SELF-TITLED)
MUMFORD’S brave debut solo LP featured Phoebe Bridgers, Clairo and Brandi Carlile but it wasn’t really about them.
Cannibal was a deeply personal reflection on being abused as a child and heartbreaking Grace remembered the moment he told his mother.
15) TAYLOR SWIFT - MIDNIGHTS
A SURPRISE release for her tenth studio album sent fans crazy.
An intimate and thoughtful mood on the first half of the album while the second half packed more attitude. There’s a reason why she has millions of fans – and this kept them all happy.
14) HARRY STYLES - HARRY'S HOUSE
PRINCE of pop Harry’s third solo album moved away from the catchiness of Fine Line towards more gentle melodies infused with funk and folk influences.
Full of perfect pop moments and lyrics that capture the concerns of his young audience.
13) JACK WHITE - FEAR OF THE DAWN
EVER unpredictable White released two albums in 2022: The first bearing ear-splitting riffs and ominous themes, the other (Entering Heaven Alive) tender and acoustic.
Eosophobia, morbid fear of the dawn, dominated the raucous and best of the pair.
12) FOALS - LIFE IS YOURS
THE Oxford trio captured the “madness of a night out” on this post-lockdown album, their seventh.
Full of colour and energy, it was the perfect soundtrack to going out and having fun from the crowd-pleasing Glastonbury Other Stage headliners.
11) SUEDE - AUTOFICTION
ELEGANT frontman Brett Anderson proved a man of contradictions.
Primal performance, what he called “noisy, nasty rock”, and middle-aged vulnerability were contrasting qualities that made his band’s ninth studio album such a towering accomplishment.
10) MARK OWEN - LAND OF DREAMS
NEARLY ten years since his last album, the Take That singer made a career-best solo record after falling in love with music again.
Brilliant, energetic and catchy throughout, songs like Rio and Magic made it the finest solo Take That album.
9) BIG THIEF - DRAGON NEW WARM MOUNTAIN I BELIEVE IN YOU
CLOCKING in at a staggering 81 minutes, this was the most ambitious project yet from Brooklyn’s prolific indie darlings.
Overwhelming evidence of singer Adrianne Lenker’s growing stature as a songwriter.
8) WET LET - WET LEG
“WE want to be goofy and a little bit rude,” said Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers of 2022’s breakthrough band.
Hook-laden music, including earworm Chaise Longue, drew on bubblegum pop, French disco, Beastie Boys and off-kilter indie.
7) BEYONCE - RENAISSANCE
IN troubled times, we needed music like this. Beyonce has made few mis-steps and this forward-facing, dance crazy record was no exception.
Defiant Break My Soul was the powerhouse lead track, Move featured Grace Jones.
6) KENDRICK LAMAR - MR MORALE & THE BIG STEPPERS
THE only rapper to have won a Pulitzer Prize, Lamar released his first album in five years, directing his focus inward at his own mythology and family history.
Brutally honest and raw but also touched by genius.
5) LIAM GALLAGHER - C'MON YOU KNOW
THIS year saw the former Oasis star play his biggest solo shows at Knebworth and saw his third album give him his most credible reviews.
A great record that featured Foo Fighter-in-chief Dave Grohl and Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig.
4) GABRIELS - ANGELS & QUEENS PT. 1
GRACED with the honeyed tones of one-time American Idol contender Jacob Lusk, this debut was an intoxicating mash-up of old-school gospel, R&B, rock and cool atmospherics.
It explored love and loss with verve and originality.
3) WEYES BLOOD - AND IN THE DARKNESS, HEARTS AGLOW
“SOFT rock with an apocalyptic edge was never my intent,” said Natalie Mering of her fifth studio album as Weyes Blood.
“But it is what happened.”
She fashioned achingly gorgeous, retro-styled songs with dark and disturbing undercurrents, making the buzz around the 34-year-old American build to a deafening roar.
As our No3, she told SFTW this week: “After going deep into the subterranean depths of my soul to make this record during the pandemic, in a dark time with a little cracked glow stick for a heart, I’m so deeply relieved that people have heard it and resonated with its sentiments.
“It’s a very personal record to me and it took a fair amount of courage to be so literal about recent events.”
2) RINA SAWAYAMA - HOLD THE GIRL
HOLD The Girl was an outstanding genre-crossing tour de force of a second album from the Japanese/British singer who wowed everyone with her flamboyant live shows.
The album was bursting with euphoric pop anthems such as This Hell, the title track and Minor Feelings.
Refreshing, intelligent and captivating, the LGBTQ+ icon has addressed diversity, anti-Asian racism and her painful childhood.
This week, she marked her SFTW No2 album by telling us: “This year has been truly magical and I’m so thankful that my album has been received with such love and compassion by everyone.
“It’s a nerve-racking experience to release music as personal as Hold The Girl so to see people resonating with it around the world has been so beautiful.
“I feel held, loved and excited to see what the next year brings!"
1) PAOLO NUTINI - LAST NIGHT IN THE BITTERSWEET
ON his return to music after a long break, our album of the year showed just how brilliant a songwriter the Scot is. Shine A Light, Radio and Lose It were peak Nutini.
Just before his second Glasgow show this week, Nutini told SFTW: “After six years of living in my own head and wandering around trying to find a way out, I and some of my great friends and musicians got a record together and put it out there into the madness at a time when things couldn’t feel much worse for so many.
“We were lucky enough to have people embrace the stories and the songs and turn out in all kinds of weather to watch us play and make it all real.
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“Thank you so much to everyone who is listening to the music and coming along on this trip with us. Without you, I am just still out there wandering.
“On behalf of me and the band, thank you again and we love you all dearly.”