Published 01/27/2023 - Reid Kyle
Capping off a magical year for music with a celebration of our favorite albums
We'll keep this one simple. 2023 has begun, and it is safe to say that 2022 had some of the greatest musical achievements of the last 5-10 years. Following is a list of Beautify Sound's favorite 50 albums of the calendar year. This list is 100% biased and directly catered to our tastes… sorry everyone, you can't make an omelet without omitting amazing records from a ranked list. Nonetheless, we hope you give this list an opportunity to introduce you to records that may have gone under your radar this year.
Continue reading to see the list of our favorite albums from the previous year, accompanied by a brief description of the project, starting with:
50. Wet Leg – Wet Leg (Indie-Rock)
An infectious indie rock record that keeps the grooves tight and the lyrics blunt. Although displaying similar traits to other bands in their field, Wet Leg project as one of the more exciting groups in the indie rock genre.
49. Three Dimensions Deep – Amber Mark (Pop/R&B)
Groovy R&B/Pop fusion including elements of hip-house and soul music. With highlights including ‘What It Is” and “Foreign Things”, Amber Mark’s debut is a euphoric listen and should be heard by any fan of contemporary Pop or R&B.
48. Sometimes, Forever – Soccer Mommy (Indie Rock/Experimental Rock)
Slightly diverting from her typical late 2000's indie pop aesthetic, Soccer Mommy’s third LP Sometimes, Forever features harsher rock instrumentals, utilizing abrasive production from Oneohtrix Point Never. Consistently imaginative, this new direction for the indie rock darling is certainly one to keep an eye on.
47. Emotional Creature – Beach Bunny (Indie Pop/Pop Punk)
Endlessly catchy and mournfully nostalgic, Beach Bunny’s sophomore LP contains ear-wormy pop punk cuts that never stray far from its early 2000s influence. If you’re looking for coming of age indie pop with sing-along choruses and clean production, Emotional Creature is the album for you.
46. De Todas las Flores – Natalia Lafourcade (Baroque Pop)
Her first album featuring brand new material since 2015, Mexican baroque pop artist Natalia Lafourcade returns with an intimately crafted album reflecting on heartbreak. Featuring swaying orchestral passages, well crafted song structures and pitch-perfect vocal inflections, De Todas las Flores embraces the unknown, and optimistically steers toward a future of possibilities and putting one’s self first.
45. Melt My Eyez See Your Future – Denzel Curry (Hip-Hop/Rap)
One of the most consistent rappers in hip-hop, Denzel Curry returns with a less bombastic, more introspective record leaning into jazz rap tendencies. With his skillful flow switch ups and lyrics focusing on the day-to-day issues he deals with, Curry expands on his impressive discography while keeping fans on their toes wondering which direction the South Florida man goes next.
44. $oul $old $eparately – Freddie Gibbs (Hip-Hop/Rap)
Perhaps his most ‘conventional’ hip-hop record, Freddie Gibbs gathers talented producers including James Blake and Kaytranda to help craft his newest instrumental landscape to spit his usual snarky, confident and comical bars over. Perhaps lacking the replay value or cohesion of earlier records, $oul $oul $eparately remains a great hip-hop release from the bunny rabbit MC.
43. CAPRISONGS – FKA twigs (Pop/R&B)
The avant-pop star’s 2022 mixtape is a melodic expression of modern R&B and house music, featuring dynamic production from guests including Arca, El Guincho and Jeff Kleinman. Described by twigs as a “going out” record, CAPRISONGS focus on trendy features and mood building leads to her most mainstream and approachable release to date.
42. 5 to the Eye With Stars – R.A.P. Ferreira (Jazz Rap)
Jazz rap veteran R.A.P. Ferreira (formerly known as Milo) returns with another excellent batch of moody, melodic rap cuts. Featuring boom-bap oriented beats along with more sparse, jazzy instrumentals, 5 to the Eye With Stars was unfortunately slept on by many hip-hop fans, don’t let yourself be one.
41. Storm Queen – Grace Cummings (Singer-Songwriter/Chamber Folk)
Australian vocalist Grace Cummings keeps it fairly straightforward on Storm Queen. She allows spacious instrumentals with sonic depth to accompany her gruff, somber voice telling stories of love, nature and the frailty of human emotions. A chamber folk album with excellent production, and a great starting point for anyone new to the genre.
40. PAINLESS – Nilufer Yanya (Indie Rock/Post-Rock)
Following her critically acclaimed debut LP, Nilufer Yanya’s sophomore album PAINLESS narrows in on a more sonically direct focus. Focusing on emotional vulnerability, Yanya’s vocals range from dismissive to deeply sentimental while being accompanied by swaggering instrumentals. With a slight experimental tinge, PAINLESS shouldn’t be missed by any contemporary indie rock fans.
39. Fear of the Dawn – Jack White (Alternative Rock/Experimental Rock)
Garage rock’s golden boy returns with another set of impressive experimental rock cuts. Featuring his trademark noisy guitar playing and bluesy aesthetics, Fear of the Dawn sees White progressing his alternative rock sound even further, embracing hip-hop and rock crossovers with precision and sonic cohesion.
38. Heaven Come Crashing – Rachika Nayar (Experimental/Ambient)
Brooklyn-based producer Rachika Nayar’s sophomore LP is a fantastic example of expanding ambient and electronic music to a cinematic level of cohesion and story telling. Blending groovier moments with warm textures and soundscapes leads Heaven Come Crashing to being the standout ambient record of 2022.
37. SICK! – Earl Sweatshirt (Jazz Rap)
Thebe Kgositsile (better known as Earl Sweatshirt) returns with his fourth studio album SICK!, a focused and contemplative alternative hip-hop record. Less chaotic and experimental than previous releases, SICK! sees Earl Sweatshirt embrace mainstream rap qualities while maintaining the idiosyncratic style that led him to be a true pioneer of the previous decade’s underground hip-hop scene.
36. Stumpwork – Dry Cleaning (Post-Punk/Alternative Rock)
The London post-punk group follow up one of 2021’s best albums New Long Leg with this sophomore LP. Although it lacks some of the swagger found in the group’s debut, Stumpwork’s crisp post punk balladry and head spinning spoken word vocals make it one of 2022’s essential rock records.
35. The Forever Story – JID (Hip-Hop/Rap)
Atlanta native JID returns with his highly anticipated third studio album, The Forever Story. With insight to his childhood, community dynamics and the current experiences of a Black American, JID uses well placed features to accompany his excellent wordplay and rapping ability. Containing soulful ballads and aggressive rap bangers, JID continues his ascendency into rap royalty with this impressive concept album.
34. Cheat Codes - Danger Mouse & Black Thought (Hip-Hop/Rap)
A project containing tracks conceived all the way back in 2005, Cheat Codes is a dreary and thoughtful hip-hop album merging the lyricism of Black Thought and producing talent of Danger Mouse. Smooth soul, trippy prog, and warping psych rock samples groove alongside Black Thought and featured emcees, leading to a straightforward and enjoyable record for fans across the vast hip-hop landscape.
33. A Bit of Previous – Belle and Sebastian (Indie Rock/Indie Pop)
The aptly titled A Bit of Previous sees the legendary Scottish indie-pop group returning to their 90s twee and indie-rock roots. Focusing on nostalgia, aging and responsibility, Belle and Sebastian supply a heartwarming batch of tracks that remind listeners why their unique brand of pop music has stood the test of time so effortlessly.
32. Skinty Fia – Fountaines D.C. (Post-Rock)
Irish post-punk band Fountaines D.C. follow up their excellent 2020 record A Hero’s Death with another tight batch of dreary rock tracks, expanding on the sonic pallets of their earlier work. Skinty Fia sees the band reflecting on one’s fear of growing old and bitter, accepting it as an essential piece of the human experience.
31. Death Fame – Quelle Chris (Experimental Hip-Hop)
Focusing on universal topics including life, death, success and failure, Death Fame sees Detroit rapper Quelle Chris reflecting on his journey in the music industry. Utilizing jazzy grooves, smooth soul samples and abrasive jolty rhythms, Quelle Chris validates his high standing in hip-hop’s underground with this collection of 14 tracks.
30. Topical Dancer – Charlote Adigery & Boris Pupul (Experimental Electronic/Pop)
Topical Dancer is a forward-thinking electronic/dance record that critiques modern popular culture as well as it bangs on the dance floor. The Belgian-Caribbean Charlote Adigery combines excellently with her Belgian-Chinese musical partner Boris Pupul, who create a diverse blend of dance music that questions the modern experience, while allowing the quirky grooves to push their message that much further.
29. Ugly Season – Perfume Genius (Experimental/Baroque Pop)
Written in part for choreographer Kate Wallich’s ‘The Sun Still Burns Here’ dance piece, Perfume Genius’ sixth studio album is a beautiful ode to the modern dancefloor experience. Highly personal, stylistically nuanced and frequently wintery cold, Ugly Season expands electro-trance to the depths of ambient and experimental pop, which creates a uniquely delicate listen and a key piece of this decade’s musical evolution.
28. Boat Songs – MJ Lenderman (Indie Rock)
MJ Lenderman’s Boat Songs is a scuzzy blend of indie rock and country that sends the listener to some far away country road. The guitarist for indie bad Wednesday’s second solo release is a great moment in rock that blends popular sounds from folk and country with an experimentally produced finish. Simply put, it is one of the year’s best rock albums.
27. Time Skiffs – Animal Collective (Electronic)
Animal Collective’s Time Skiffs is the band’s best album since the 2009 classic Merriweather Post Pavilion. The nine tracks are an infectious blend of rich harmonies and electropop instrumentals that ponder parenthood and personal responsibility. On Time Skiifs, Animal Collective reach into the roots of what made them so great, enticing fans who may have thought their best was behind them.
26. Marchita – Silvana Estrada (Singer-Songwriter/Latin Folk)
The debut record from Mexican singer-songwriter Silvana Estrada is an exceptionally focused and entrancing baroque pop record. Silvana Estrada’s song writing mimics Kate Bush’s grace and wisdom sewn within her debut record. Acoustic ballads backed with orchestral passages accompany Estrada’s idiosyncratic vocal work, leading to one of the best singer-songwriter records of 2022.
25. God Save the Animals – Alex G (Indie Rock)
Alex G’s ode to companionship and faith results in a deeply groovy and heartfelt indie rock album that truly is the sum of its parts. Each song acts as its own anecdote on God Save the Animals, where smooth indie rock guitar licks accompany well produced and written tracks that outline the relationship humans have with animals and God, providing the listener a comfort in accepting the unknowns of our mortal existence.
24. Being Funny in a Foreign Language – The 1975 (Indie Pop)
Potentially my biggest surprise of the year, The 1975’s fifth studio album is one of the best pop albums of 2022. An album with virtually no skips, Matt Healy and co. cut back on some of the pretentiousness of previous work, allowing their wit and topical lyricism to accompany some of the best melodies my ears heard this calendar year on Being Funny in a Foreign Language.
23. God Don’t Make Mistakes – Conway the Machine (Hip-Hop/Rap)
Buffalo, New York’s finest returns with his best crop of underground tinged rap tracks yet. Conway goes harder and more direct than ever before on God Don’t Make Mistakes. Featuring Daringer beats and excellent features ranging from Benny the Butcher to T.I., Conway and co. prove once again that Griselda are one of modern hip-hop’s finest collectives.
22. MOTOMAMI – Rosalia (Experimental Pop/Reggaeton)
Catalonia’s most creative contemporary artist returns with another impressive blend of latin pop, reggaeton and avant-garde experimentation. This concept album sees Rosalia reflecting on her newfound superstardom and the people who helped her reach this sonic highpoint in her blossoming career.
21. The Lakes of Zones B and C – Emperor X (Indie Rock)
The Lakes of Zones B and C is a contender for the most slept on album of the year. A tight batch of indie-rock tracks ranging from ambient soundscapes to folk rock anthems to melodic ballads, Emperor X proves himself to be one of the most consistent members of the indie underground. The Lakes of Zones B and C is a must listen for any rock fans.
20. Fossora – Bjork (Baroque Pop/Experimental Pop)
One of the all time great experimentalists in music has returned with her tenth studio album. Bjork’s Fossora is another sonic evolution in her discography, embracing woodwinds, gabber beats and off the wall production choices. The rich textures and tones mimic fungi and the underground, allowing her stories of isolation, loss, and grief to spread through the hypnotic quality of her signature baroque pop sound.
19. God’s Country – Chat Pile (Sludge Metal)
Chat Pile’s debut LP is a brooding collection of noise rock that is as depraved as it is poignant. The Oklahoman rock group target their particularly gruesome sound to question the powers that be, notably criticizing their lack of action regarding the homelessness problem in America. Centered on the real-world horrors around us, God’s Country sonically mimics that horror with electrifying and fear inducing music.
18. Hostile Architecture – Ashenspire (Progressive Black Metal/Dark Folk)
Focusing on the structure and constraints of a fully industrialized capitalist society, Ashenspire use brutal black metal riffs and grandiose orchestral passages to portray their vision of the modern political landscape with Hostile Architecture. Including Celtic music stylings native to their homeland, the Glasgow based metal group’s unique blend of folk and atmospheric black metal lead to one of the most stunning heavy albums of 2022.
17.It’s Almost Dry – Pusha T (Hip-Hop/Rap)
King Push is back with more braggadocios bars about moving blow, life as a criminal and how fame impacts a man of his nefarious background. With dazzling production from Pharrell Williams and Kanye West (among others), Pusha T finishes end his relationship with GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings on a creative high. Blending modern hip-hop with bling era aesthetics, It’s Almost Dry acts simultaneously as a sending off, and a coke-white fresh slate.
16. When the Wind Forgets Your Name – Built to Spill (Alternative Rock)
The veteran indie rock group Built to Spill returns with a fantastic record blending the talents of founder Doug Martsch with Brazilian artists Le Almedia and João Casaes. When the Wind Forgets Your Name is a combination of American alternative rock with Brazilian lo-fi punk and psychedelic jazz. The result is a catchy, swaggering rock record with stylistic subtleties that lead to a deeply satisfying listen.
15. Crash – Charli XCX (Hyperpop)
In collaboration with dozens of talented producers, pop-star Charli XCX returns with the less experimental, yet still hyper, Crash. Lacking some elements of glitch pop and noise, Crash is primarily eccentric pop tracks that vary in stylistic eras, yet work as a cohesive group of straight up bops. One of the catchiest albums of the year, pop fans need this one in their rotation as Charli XCX continues to prove herself as one of the trailblazing pop artists of the 21st century.
14. Diaspora Problems – Soul Glo (Post-Hardcore/Punk)
Philadelphia hardcore trio Diaspora Problems pull no punches on this experimental hardcore record. Merging rap-rock, post-hardcore and industrial elements, Diaspora Problems sees hard rock depravity being stretched to new lengths while providing poignant political and social commentary. Punk fans will look back on this project as a milestone in the genre’s continued evolution.
13. Natural Brown Prom Queen – Sudan Archives (Experimental R&B)
Cincinnati born experimental artist Brittney Parks (aka Sudan Archives) delivers the R&B album of the year. Blending influences of African electronic, western R&B grooves and expansive song structures, Sudan Archives surpasses her contemporaries with this 18-track reflection of one’s self worth and the power that having confidence instills.
12. I Love You Jennifer B – Jockstrap (Experimental Electronic/Glitch Pop)
The debut album from London based duo Jockstrap is a miraculous achievement for pop music. Vocalist and violinist Georgia Ellery (of Black Country, New Road fame) merges her whisper soft singing and classical string training with Taylor Skye’s abrasive production style. The result is an experimental electronic record that seemingly knows no bounds, striking notes of post-dubstep, mainstream pop and even classical compositions.
11. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers – Kendrick Lamar (Hip-Hop/Rap)
The fifth studio album from Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar is a meditative and minimalist take on contemporary hip-hop. Maintaining the conceptual elements of his previous albums, Lamar includes elements of 1990s gangster rap, trip hop, and haunting melodic cuts to drive home the perspective of his world view. Being present, accepting criticism, and dealing with one’s traumatic path are essential building blocks of a joyous existence, as told by an emcee who has already proven to be one of the greatest to ever pick up a microphone.
10. A Light for Attracting Attention – The Smile (Indie Rock/Post-Rock)
Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood combine with Sons of Kemet’s drummer Tom Skinner to form the band that is The Smile. On A Light for Attracting Attention, the trio embrace elements of art rock, post-punk, electronica and ambient. The result is a mind warping 53 minutes of progressive rock that embraces what makes Radiohead so great, with technical skill and song writing prowess only met by trail-blazing pioneers of progressive art.
9. Warm Chris – Aldous Harding (Folk/Singer-Songwriter)
New Zealand singer-songwriter Aldous Harding returns with Warm Chris, her fourth studio album. This is the independent folk artist’s best project to date, an indie-folk album with delicate instrumentals, obscure lyrics told through an unmistakable set of vocal chops. As explained on her Bandcamp page, Harding’s music “conjures a singular intensity”. Chock full of whimsical plucky ballads and pensive piano passages, Warm Chris exists as a perfect balance between sensible folk and ambient absurdism.
8. Renaissance – Beyonce (Pop/Disco)
One of the 21st Century’s most prolific popstars returns with a masterful ode to the history and future of dance music. Blending different sub genres of disco and pop, Queen Bey belts banger after banger, showing immense vocal skill alongside well-placed features within masterfully produced singles that blend seamlessly. Don’t let the hype steer you away, it’s worth its weight in gold.
7. Flood – Stella Donnelly (Singer-Songwriter)
One of indie music’s brightest prodigies takes a massive leap forward on her sophomore LP, Flood. Ditching the indie-pop and twee sound of her debut, Stella Donnelly focuses on sonically unique individual stories that combine to encompass Donnelly as a whole. Groovy art-rock cuts with spoken word verses and piano ballads with haunting refrains are only a piece of this haunting masterpiece. Flood is the story of a young artist plunging into the depths of artistic creativity deeper than most do in their entire lifetime.
6. Baby – Petrol Girls (Punk/Hardcore)
The best punk album of 2022 comes from London rock group Petrol Girls. Staunchly feminist, the band express their dissatisfaction with the status quo of modern existence, particularly focusing on abortion, police brutality and gender inequality. The songs themselves are pummelling hardcore punk tracks with time changes, masterful riffs and gutturally screamed vocals. Incredibly catchy while strikingly loud, it is impossible to miss the raw emotion within Baby, one of the 21st century’s essential punk albums.
5. Aethiopes – billy woods (Experimental Hip-Hop/Rap)
The 14th studio album from New York underground rapper billy woods is the best hip-hop release of 2022. Released on his self-owned label Backwoodz Studioz, Aethiopes sees woods on the cutting edge of underground hip-hop, spitting over cut and sewn beats with his signature spoken word flow. The storytelling on Aethiopes is next level, with cryptic tales of generational trauma experienced by those with African ancestry. Aethiopes is a cold, foreboding record that is unconventionally catchy while incredibly witty on the writing front. If you want to expand your hip-hop listening palette, look no further than one of underground hip-hop’s longest tenured visionaries.
4. Big Time – Angel Olsen (Folk Rock/Country)
Angel Olsen’s Big Time is an example of an artist re-imagining their sound in a near perfect way. Big Time sees the singer-songwriter cutting back on the electronics, instead focusing on western rock instrumentals full of sonic depth and intrinsic warmness. With a ten-song track list contemplating death, new experiences, and the freedom of being one’s true self, Big Time is the perfect example of tastefully dishing out nostalgia while maintaining the qualities of an artist who know who she is, and just how much her music has to offer.
3. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You – Big Thief (Indie Rock/Folk Country)
Having already proven themselves to be one of the best groups in contemporary indie folk, Big Thief channel all corners of their creative conscious to craft the smorgasbord that is Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You. Recorded over four sessions all across the United States, DNWMIBIY is a fluid piece of everything that encompasses Adrienne Lenker and co.’s song writing ability. Stylistic choices found on this record range from honkytonk yokel rock, trip hop, psych rock and even lo-fi folk punk. The twenty-track behemoth acts as a ‘greatest hits’ record for the band (albeit with all new material), also as a sense of excitement anticipating the infinite directions the enigmatic group could take next.
2. Ants from Up There – Black Country, New Road (Post-Rock)
In 2021, Black Country, New Road entered the music scene as another promising post-punk group to come out of the UK. In 2022, they returned with Ants from Up There, a record which saw them carve out a sound far removed from the “Slint Tribute Act” appeal of their debut. Virtuosity is the first word I think of when describing this record, which contain numerous orchestral passages within dynamic art rock instrumentals. Balancing the delicate with the expansive, Black Country, New Road use a blend of post-rock, baroque pop and minimalism to represent the mental landscape of a young person trudging through adulthood in today’s difficult landscape. Ants from Up There is the result of a band working as a single body, moving to rhythms that blend into a set of songs that are as awe inspiring as they are grounded in reality.
1. Hellfire – black midi (Post-Prog/Jazz Fusion)
The best album of 2022 is black midi’s Hellfire. This type of crazy shit is exactly what I am looking for in a contemporary rock album. Expanding on the brutality of their debut Schlagenheim and the melodic nuances within Cavalcade, black midi create a 10-track circus unlike anything in modern music. The technically gifted group flex their musical chops with mind bending melodies, arpeggios, horn sections, and vocal delivery. Going beyond their influences of Frank Zappa, Primus and King Crimson, black midi take the progressive rock genre to its bizarre next step. On first listen I was offended. By the fifth listen, I was mesmerized. By the 50th listen, I was certain that this album would go down as one of the greatest achievements in experimental rock history.
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