Firebird’s Top 20 Albums of 2022
Throughout January 2023, Firebird conducted its second annual Album of the Year poll. Staff members drafted their personal top 10 albums of the year, and then ranked them on a ballot. Results were then tabulated using a points-based system that assigned ten points to each voter’s first choice, nine points to their second choice, and so on. Because of the nature of the voting, the general results are inherently a popularity contest, so Firebird has given its members the opportunity to feature their individual lists in a separate article—this is filled with many other releases worth checking out.
2022 was a truly remarkable year for music that has no parallel in recent memory. The year began with a blockbuster release in the form of The Weeknd’s chrome-coated, sparkling Dawn FM, and it ended with one too, with SZA returning after over five years to deliver SOS, her sprawling follow-up to Ctrl. The pace never seemed to let up throughout the year—nearly every week, artists from every corner of the music industry, many of whom we hadn’t heard from since before the pandemic, released wildly creative, forward-thinking projects that pushed every genre from folk to electronica into the future. Instant-classic projects such as the sweeping, cinematic Ants from Up There by Black Country, New Road and Big Thief’s profound, yet unassuming magnum opus Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You were released in back-to-back weeks, barely giving us enough time to digest one project before being hit with another incredible release.
After the pandemic pushed artists inside, freed them from their touring schedules, and gave them a vast amount of creative free time, musicians at every level of experience and fame have been firing on all cylinders. Established superstars such as Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar released long-gestating projects that soundtracked everything from our collective return to the dance floor to our deepest, most personal struggles. At the same time, countless emerging talents including Ethel Cain and MJ Lenderman made exciting creative breakthroughs, refining their identities as artists and positioning themselves as artists to keep a close eye on in the coming years.
I can’t imagine I’ll ever forget the time that I spent in 2022 experiencing this music with my friends. We gathered around my speakers every New Music Friday, saw many of these artists on tour, and got into endless debates about our favorite (and least favorite) albums. Every album on this list is here for a reason—each one is an important piece of the expansive, colorful mosaic that was music in 2022. We hope that you see some of your favorite albums represented on this list, but we also hope that you’ll discover some new ones that you’ll cherish throughout 2023.
— Sha Frasier, Editor-in-Chief
20. Alex G – God Save the Animals
indie folk, indie rock
Alex G’s God Save the Animals is his most hopeful album yet—a surprising yet welcome intertwinement of old and new as he showcases his raw vocals in refreshingly upbeat tracks such as “Runner,” while still weaving in familiar distorted sounds reminiscent of older albums such as DSU and House of Sugar. Through grounded lyrical simplicity, he explores themes of nature, animal companionship, and faith—not surprising coming from an album named God Save the Animals. Perhaps the climax of the album lies at the end, closing with the one-two punch of “Miracles” and “Forgive”. The acoustic melody of the violin combined with the banjo pairs perfectly with crystal clear vocals and straightforward, comprehensive lyrics not often found in his work. “You say one day that we should have a baby, well God help me, I love you, I agree” is one of Alex’s most romantic lines, perhaps in one of his most romantic songs. Combined with the ending of “I choose today” in “Forgive,” Alex G sends us on our way with a positive spirit and sense of hope, perhaps wanting to “choose today” as well.
— Madi Kim, Writer
19. Natalia Lafourcade – De todas las flores
chamber folk, singer-songwriter
De todas las flores sees Natalia Lafourcade lay bare her musical diary—a lush, sprawling exploration of vulnerability that rubs distant shoulders with samba-jazz and chamber folk. Recorded live in the studio with a progressive, layered sound, Lafourcade's intimacy blossoms; her physicality adorns every note she sings, from the soothing escapism of “Pajarito colibrí” to her playful, tropical inflections on “Mi manera de querer”. De todas las flores is yet another magical addition to Lafourcade’s beautiful garden of a discography.
— David Hall, Writer
18. Harry Styles – Harry’s House
pop rock, indie pop
Less concerned with establishing Harry Styles’ rockstar persona than his debut and sophomore albums, Harry’s House comprises an unguarded portrait of an artist whose career has been defined by mega-stardom for over a decade now. Some tried-and-true themes are carried forward into this project—the man seems to love a sex-as-food metaphor à la “Watermelon Sugar,” and now, “Music for a Sushi Restaurant”—but its distinguishing lyrical quality is a meditative nostalgia tailored to showcase Style’s airy vocals. Combined with enticingly buoyant vintage sounds, this clarity of perspective solidifies Styles’ place in the modern pop canon.
— Maia Driggers, Editor
17. The Weeknd – Dawn FM
synthpop, dance-pop
While The Weeknd’s latest album Dawn FM appears on the surface level to be just another pop album in which he discusses love, sex, and drugs, it actually serves as a concept album exploring the dark reality of inner confusion and helplessness. On top of the use of gleaming 80’s synths, and the voice of Jim Carrey narrating the album as a radio host, Abel Tesfaye attempts to place his listeners in an introspective purgatory questioning one’s existence and state of being. His masterful use of lyrics combined with interruptions by quirky instrumental noises creates a beautifully meaningful and entertaining album.
— Tarun Sethi, Editor
16. Beach House – Once Twice Melody
dream pop, neo-psychedelia
Once Twice Melody delivers a staggering collection of sweet dream pop, proving the duo is still at the top of their game. There is a great deal of variety across these tracks, keeping the tracklist engaging while retaining the band’s signature nocturnal atmosphere.
— David Feigelson, Copy Editor & Treasurer
15. Weyes Blood – And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow
baroque pop, singer-songwriter
The second incredible album in an ongoing trilogy that began with 2019’s Titanic Rising finds Weyes Blood searching for connection in an increasingly atomized world filled with personal and public apocalypse. The sublime vocals and lush orchestration that make up the album's 70s-inflected pop make it sound like a transmission from the heavens.
— Sha Frasier, Editor-in-Chief
14. Ethel Cain – Preacher’s Daughter
singer-songwriter, dream pop, slowcore
The first in a three-album trilogy, Hayden Anhedönia performs under the moniker Ethel Cain for the ambitious, beautiful, and often times unsettling Preacher's Daughter. In perfect Lana Del Rey-esque fashion, Anhedönia takes her listeners on a tumultuous 76-minute-long journey, dipping into a wide variety of genres (e.g., dream pop, folk, and even industrial doom metal) to recount the rise and eventual demise of Ethel Cain (a young woman who decides to run away from home). While a bit lengthy at times, Preacher's Daughter attests to Anhedönia's versatility as an artist and her strengths as a storyteller/songwriter, ensuring a long, bright, and promising career for the singer-songwriter.
— Joseph Mooney, Managing Editor
13. Alvvays – Blue Rev
power pop, indie rock, shoegaze
With Blue Rev, Alvvays fuses ballads and bangers chronicling jealousy, yearning, and even a “very online guy” in the form of pure pop bliss. The characteristic dreaminess that garnered them a cult following can still be found on tracks like “Fourth Figure,” but tracks like “Pomeranian Spinster” mark a successful shift into power pop territory. While the singles are the clear highlights of the album, the consistently lush production and catchy melodies throughout the tracklist mesh together to form one of the most colorful albums of 2022.
— Joshua Payne, Writer
12. Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
conscious hip hop, West Coast hip hop
After five years since his last solo release, DAMN., Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers was met by an audience hungry for new content, and he didn’t disappoint. Being his last album with his long-time label Top Dawg Entertainment, Mr. Morale very much feels like the matured voice of a weathered artist. Lamar explores experimental, jarring beats and approaches sensitive subjects like gender, generational trauma, and familial responsibility with an unparalleled level of force and intimacy. By laying bare his every personal failure and shortcoming, Mr. Morale becomes more than just art—it’s Lamar incarnate, with all his hopes, fears, and memories translated into intricate bars and luxuriously orchestral instrumentals.
— Ibrahim Gomaa, Writer
11. Bad Bunny – Un Verano Sin Ti
reggaetón, Latin pop
Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, known to his ever-growing international fanbase as Bad Bunny, spends the first half of his fourth solo studio album Un Verano Sin Ti taking a victory lap around the Caribbean, weaving headfirst through many of the region’s genres such as reggaetón, reggae, bomba, dembow and bachata. The second half of the album takes a more adventurous twist, carefully winding down from the high of the first half with introspective lyrics, political critiques, and declarations of an undying love, across genres such as Colombian cumbia and the Latin trap Bad Bunny first became known for. The album enlists legends from many of these genres such as the psychedelic cumbia-pop duo Bomba Estéreo, and Chencho Corleone of reggaetón’s legendary Plan B. An album equally well-suited for perreando in the club as it for crying over your ex, 2022’s most streamed album simply cannot be missed.
— Sophie Zinberg, Photographer
10. Sudan Archives – Natural Brown Prom Queen
alternative R&B, art pop
Recorded in her basement home studio, the second album from singer-songwriter and self-taught violinist Sudan Archives brings the perfect blend of emotional intensity and sultry, sensual energy. Full of ingenious, catchy lyrics and perfectly-executed violin solos interspersed with in-your-face electronic beats and striking production, Natural Brown Prom Queen pushes the boundaries of the traditional, bringing an otherworldly dimension to R&B.
— Sahana Krishnamurthy, Writer
9. Taylor Swift – Midnights
alt-pop, singer-songwriter
Midnights was, I think, always bound to be one of my top albums of the year. If not for the fact that it’s Taylor Swift—because, hello, it’s Taylor Swift—but, then, for its genuinely striking musicality. It’s deeply vulnerable in a way that Swift’s other albums arguably just aren’t (can we discuss the line “I regret you all the time” please), while still containing her classic pop sound—because, yes, we’re still bejeweled!
— Nicole Millan Ortiz, Editor
8. FKA twigs – Caprisongs
alternative R&B
Even if you ignore the 180 from Magdalene, Caprisongs perhaps defines the word “range” and coronates its queen. FKA twigs’ diverse collaborators and experimental beats shine on highlights “darjeeling” and “pamplemousse.” Put on some headphones, go on a hot girl walk, and vibeeee.
— Henry Lako-Baldwin, Writer
7. MJ Lenderman – Boat Songs
slacker rock, alt-country
Boat Songs is a hurricane. Sunbeams of plaintive pedal steel float through a storm of crunchy, distorted guitars, with rare moments of calm perfectly placed throughout the record's brisk, 34 minute runtime. Lenderman's weathered, lived-in lyrics filter life through the lens of American mythology: the institutions we deify—Michael Jordan, Disney World, WWE—become stand-ins for the impermanence of everything, including our greatest idols and most fervent loves.
— Sha Frasier, Editor-in-Chief
6. JID – The Forever Story
Southern hip hop, conscious hip hop
JID's growth as an artist was shown in spades all across The Forever Story, and the versatility and range across the album's runtime—and within songs themselves, with beat switches galore—blew me away at every turn. JID is so intensely personal on this project, and you feel like you're in the room with him as he pours his heart out on the album's more emotional cuts. I love learning things about the artists I listen to, and JID delivers that and more on The Forever Story. Truly an awesome listening experience with no skips for me.
— Kristen Wallace, Writer
5. Rosalía – Motomami
neoperreo, art pop
When I first listened to Motomami in March 2022, I was at first somewhat disappointed and weirded out by Rosalia's new and avant-garde sonic palette. But the more I listened to the tracks, the more I became obsessed with their minimalist beats, to the point that the album soundtracked my summer 2022.
— Onofrio de Michele, Writer
4. Black Country, New Road – Ants from Up There
post-rock, art rock, chamber pop
Ants from Up There was my favorite album of 2022 because each additional listen hits just as hard as the first. With stunning instrumentation and eccentric yet evocative lyricism, the songs always touch an emotional nerve and make me feel personally entangled in the narratives woven over their runtime. It’s clear that Black County, New Road are not bound by traditional conventions on this record, resulting in a unique & honest sound that couldn’t have been made by anyone else.
— Alia Smith, Writer
3. Beyoncé – Renaissance
dance-pop, house, contemporary R&B
I've never heard an album quite like Renaissance. As with every typical Beyoncé release, Renaissance was a shift in the culture (however, one completely different than those brought on by Lemonade or BEYONCÉ). With Renaissance, Beyoncé challenged her typical pop music-listeners with an array of dance, house, disco, and R&B, all dipped in and coated with influence from queer/ballroom culture. “CUFF IT,” for example, may easily be one of the most euphoric songs of the year, while “HEATED” and “PURE/HONEY” are the perfect blend of catchiness, self-confidence, and queer cultural appreciation. To put it quite simply, Renaissance unified the masses through dance and self-love. When accounting for this, along with its near-perfect production, vocals, and lyrical content, Renaissance easily takes the crown for my Album of the Year.
— Joseph Mooney, Managing Editor
2. SZA – SOS
contemporary R&B, alternative R&B
After a 5-year break, it seemed almost impossible for SZA to create something of the same caliber as Ctrl. However, SOS was a stellar comeback. SZA’s stylistic versatility paired with her lyrical vulnerability and ability to vocalize her innermost feelings is what ultimately earned SOS an official spot on my Album of the Year list.
— Alyssa Manthi, Editor
1. Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
indie folk, folk rock
Although the name of Big Thief's newest album, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You, is a bit of a mouthful, it's fitting for this long, winding double LP that spans genres, instruments, and ideas. Within a matter of a few songs, the album shifts between trip hop-inspired tracks to jauntier, playful country. Throughout Dragon, Big Thief take time to explore and play, sharing musings on love, biblical references, and, of course, potatoes. The lyrics go from the universal to the personal and from meditative to humorous. A behemoth of an album, Dragon has anything a Big Thief fan could ever want.
— Evgenia Anastasakos, Writer
edited by Sha Frasier, Editor-in-Chief.
album artwork believed to belong to either the publisher of the work or the artist.
