22 Albums That Brought Me Joy in 2022

I listened to more music than ever before in 2022. From hardcore to hip-hop to hyperpop — and whatever thrilling mixture of it all Rosalía brought us — here are the albums that brought my joy this year.

I did a lot of driving this past year. Like, an incomprehensible amount of driving. I skirted the border near Tijuana and meandered into Washington state; navigated a mirage-hot desert day in Moab and forged through a blizzard in the Rockies on the same day; careened across most of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways in the U.S. of A. while moving my belongings back and forth across the country. Put a lot of miles on the ol’ Toyota Camry. And while I simply burned rubber down the highway, piloting the ol’ TC mostly by myself, I blasted more music than ever.

So much music brought me so much joy this year. Here are the twenty-two albums that brought me the most joy in 2022. (With apologies to The Beths, Beyonce, Larry June, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Spiritbox, Wet Leg, Drake, Taylor, Carly Rae, and Ethel Cain!!)

Honorable Mention: The Big Game, The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz and JT Daly