Albums of 2022

Usually at the end of every year, I write a round-up of my favourite albums. I didn't get round to it last year so I really wanted to make sure I pick it up again for 2022, however I spent most of the Christmas break coughing on the sofa. Now, on the last day of the year, I'm sitting down to write a quick line about each of my 20 favourite albums so at least I can say I did it. If one sentence per album is still too long for you, here's a playlist of my favourite songs instead.

20) Wet Leg - Wet Leg

To be honest, there's nothing I can write that's not already been said about one of the wryest, most tongue-in-cheek, most talked about debut albums of the year.

19) Weyes Blood - And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow

Delicate and soaring all at the same time, Weyes Blood produces the type of easy-listening Americana that you could easily believe was recorded 45 years ago.

18) Sault - 11

London collective Sault continued ploughing their own mysterious furrow this year, releasing five albums on the same day and covering a diverse array of genres including soul, funk, punk, classical, reggae and gospel with soul-inspired 11 representing the best of the bunch.

17) Bonobo - Fragments

Laidback, pulsing, spacey beats, bleeps and other electronic noises are what we've come to expect from English producer Bonobo, and on this evidence, he only continues getting better.

16) First Aid Kit - Palomino

The time has come for Swedish duo First Aid Kit to enhance their traditional folk with some modern-day pop inflections yet it feels like a progression rather than a sell-out.

15) Alt-J - The Dream

That this is a slight disappointment compared to their previous releases shows how good art-rock pioneers Alt-J really are, but what their first three lack is anything as heartbreaking as Get Better.

14) Hot Chip - Freakout/Release

One of those albums that becomes better with repeated listens, Hot Chip's eighth is a heady mix of disco, funk and dance-punk, peaking early with the deserved dancefloor-filler Eleanor.

13) Father John Misty - Chloë and the Next 20th Century

On his fifth album under this nickname, Father John Misty adds new strings to his bow, largely substituting his usual mournful Americana for golden-age jazz, swing and bossa nova.

12) Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There

At turns experimental yet accessible, the second album from UK art-rock band Black Country, New Road was released to widespread acclaim, mixing epic rock with jazz, folk, grunge, emo and many other styles.

11) Gang of Youths - angel in realtime.

Australian band Gang of Youths combine alternative rock, chamber pop and Pacific Islander influences on this lush collection of personal, autobiographical stories.

10) King Princess - Hold On Baby

Diverse, yet cohesive at the same time, the frantic second album by US indie-pop singer-songwriter King Princess features lyrics about relationships, depression and being a woman in the music industry.

9) Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - When The Lights Go

The gloriously named Orlando Higginbottom (who records as the equally glorious Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs) may have taken 10 years to follow up his debut but this collection of 80s-inspired electropop was well worth the wait.

8) Paolo Nutini - Last Night In The Bittersweet

On his fourth album, Paolo Nutini combines his inimitable soulful voice with a whistle-stop tour of all his favourite styles of rock music from the early 70s to the present day.

7) Röyksopp - Profound Mysteries (Parts I, II, and III)

Making up for 8 long years without an album, Norwegian electronic duo Röyksopp released three albums in 2022 alongside short films to accompany every track, with Profound Mysteries Part I sounding the most... well, profoundly mysterious.

6) Maggie Rogers - Surrender

Instantly singalong indie-pop-rock is the order of the day on the catchy, inventive second album from US singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers.

5) Júníus Meyvant - Guru

Icelandic singer-songwriter, Júníus Meyvant mixes sultry, bluesy soul with Nordic folk to create this brooding, exhilarating record that culminates in the dramatic, spine-tingling epic, Undravera.

4) Florence + The Machine - Dance Fever

At this stage of her career, you know what to expect from Florence Welch but that doesn't stop her springing some surprises on you with this stirring, soaring collection of personal, poignant lyrics.

3) Loyle Carner - Hugo

As on his previous two outstanding albums, British rapper Loyle Carner includes many open and honest references to his upbringing and home life, and this time tackles race relations and his difficult relationship with his father.

2) Jacob Banks - Lies About The War

Ending a deal with a major record label and going your own way can often signal trouble, but on the basis of this album, brimming with ideas, it has presented British soul singer, Jacob Banks, a greater sense of freedom and passion.

1) Foals - Life Is Yours

Every Foals album seems to add an extra layer of sound to their existing mix of pulsating indie-dance-rock, and on this, their seventh album, we're treated to the introduction of funky baselines and tropical house beats, perfect for poolside sunbathing.