All sorts of everything….

2022 in Music

Black woman with styled dreadlocks, wearing a bow hair accessory and a collared shirt, looking directly at the camera in black and white.

Man with sunglasses and braided hair standing with hands in pockets, wearing a graphic T-shirt, against a plain background.

It’s list time baby…

A male singer performing with a microphone on stage.

A young man with short blond hair and a beard taking a selfie inside a vehicle.

Apple Playlist

Spotify Playlist

right i know loads of people do this but hey, you might find something you like so hit the Apple or Spotify link above and stick it on shuffle, play the tracks you dont know, play the tracks you think are cheesey.

**Standard Waring - the are plenty of grown up words and themes in this music, maybe dont play it in the car with kids or your disapproving aunty.

Person standing on a rocky beach near the ocean, wearing white clothing, looking out at the water.

A woman with tattoos sitting outdoors among tall green plants, wearing a sleeveless tan top and colorful pants.

Kehlani - Little Story

When Frank Ocean released Channel Orange he caught a mood that none of his peers were getting close to, in 2022 Kehlani released Blue Water Road, the closest anyone has come to that theme since.

Little Story is the intro track to a no skip low key classic.

Album cover for 'The 1975' with a blue background, white bold text, track list, and record label information.

Three men dressed in business suits standing close together, with two looking at a cellphone.

A person with long hair on a stage, bent over with their hands on their knees, standing next to a chair, in a dark, smoky setting.

The 1975 - Wintering

ok so The 1975 are a band that make themselves very easy to dislike, they do it on purpose.

and yes, I’ve picked a christmas song….

But what a christmas song, “I get home on the 23rd is something i’ve texted almost every december since I moved to the UK. And of course the cheeky dig at his famous mam is funny.

I’m all lined up to see them in early January and can’t wait.

Three people smiling for a photo, two women and one man, in black and white.

If you’re missing The XX there’s always bits from Jamie, Romy and Oliver in between. (indeed Oliver comes later in this list)

Fred has been around a long time and he’s quietly produced at least 10 big song you know - google it yourself- this year he broke out himself with “Actual Life 3” which follows a really simple idea, use voice notes from your mates and loads of samples.

If you’re as much of as music nerd as me check out the video of Fred showing Zane Lowe how it works..

FRED
AGAIN

Lights Out (feat. Romy)

A person standing in front of a large, illuminated, open box-shaped structure with a bright light shining through.

Kendrick Lamar - United in Grief

This is not a party album, this is raw, this is kendrick talking about entitlement, self doubt, abuse,infidelity, letting people down, making mistakes on stands he took and basically realising that the people who meant most were ready to walk away unless he changed.

Big stuff right?

Mr Morale & The Big Steppers couldnt have gone on a further tangent from every other rap release this year.

United in Grief is the opening track that sets out to explain why he dissapeared for 3 years since the pulitzer prize winng DAMN.

Dont get stuck in the harsh language and tone, its clearly defensive. The point is simple, everybody has crap to deal with and acting out as a famous multi-millionaire is still just that… acting out.

I saw the tour in November and it wasnt just not like any rap show i’d ever seen, it was like no show id ever seen.

A young man with curly hair and a light beard, wearing a red jacket over a white shirt, looking at the camera against a plain background.

I honestly know very little about Omar Apollo.

American born of mexican heritage, jobbing musician on the LA scene and very well thought of in the industry.

What I do know is the songs are great, Evergreen, Want U Around and this one… Invincible with Daniel Caesar.

It’s pop, don’t over think it.

Omar Apollo - Invincible

A person singing into a microphone on stage, wearing a black jacket.

Liam Gallagher - Everything’s Electric

I saw Liam in Belfast this year and let’s cut to the chase….Yep, he’s still got it, maybe even more now than anytime since 1998. It was, to use his phrasing, Biblical. Sound great, Band Great, Setlist Great, Swagger turned up to 100 and most of all the new songs didnt seem out of place with the old songs. Yeah the guy cant stop writing about his brother but who cares, this song bangs, probably helped by the cameo of Dave Grohl on drums….. C’Mon You Know

The Game - Eazy

OK so Kanye is on it and he’s a problem in a million ways, in fact this track became more known for him both talking about his grown up divorce and making threats on his ex wife’s boyfriend than anything else.

Nevermind that for a sec, there’s a reversed 808 with a ton of reverb all the way through the track and that will always be cool.

The verses are well crafted and the delivery is elite level.

A distorted or poorly rendered creature with exaggerated facial features and outstretched arms against a solid red background.

A man with dark, curly hair holding a microphone in his right hand and waving with his left hand.

Harry Styles - As it was

Once Harry stopped trying to be a “serious artist” he suddenly became very good. Hated his first album, got on board with his second album… love his third album.

(and yes, I’ve got tickets for Wembley in June)

If a flowery, weird, cheeky swordsman is what you are then do that, and do it big, g’wan lad

A colorful bird with a black beak and a mix of green, blue, and white feathers against an orange sky background.

Flume makes the best Gym Music (and i don’t go gym)

FLUME

Say Nothin’

Black woman with natural hair styled in an updo with bows, wearing a collared shirt and jacket, looking at the camera in a professional portrait.

After “Grey Area” & “Sometimes I might be Introvert” sims could do just about anything she wanted including releasing a whole surprise album on a random monday in December.

She doesnt care about your schedule and she doesnt care about your end of year lists..but I got ya.

This song just bangs.

Little Sims - Gorilla

A horse standing inside a dimly lit room with red lighting, near a staircase.

Five people posing against a black background, illuminated with red lighting, some sitting and others standing.

Fontaines D.C. - Skinty FIA

Ah sure we always have to have one local hero in the list but what a local hero.

This album is on top of lists all over the world for a reason. In a funny way I see a lot of paralells between DC and the previously mentioned Little Sims, uncompromising, inventive and unapolagetically of their place.

This is a definite loud in the car song, an sure who doesnt love a propoer Dublin accent.

Drake - Massive

Black and white photo of a smiling man with a beard and short hair, wearing a dark jacket and a chain necklace.

The image features stylized, icy-text lettering that spells out 'Horrors Across the World' in a jagged, frozen font, set against a black background.

Drake got a lot of stick for this album, but then Drake get a lot of stick about a lot of things and mostly deserves it.

Dude spent some time in Ibiza, liked it and thought he’d have a go himself.

Its far from the first time he’s got a bit dancey so I’m not sure why it caused such a stir, and beat Beyonce by a whole month (dont worry she’s later)

Massive is just a four to the floor club banger for all the lads who work in retail to play at being players for the night, no harm in that we’ve all been there.

Rema - Calm Down

Two young adults, a man with sunglasses, jewelry, and dreadlocks, and a woman with long dark hair, pose closely together in a dimly lit environment.

Another year of some great output from Africa and as with everything cool the big labels in the states have decided to jump all over it, hence a remix with Selina Gomez.

But y’know i’m not mad, Gomez fits the track quite nicely and she’s far from the worst.

Calm down was knocking about for quite a while during the summer and this addition just took it all over the world.

TEMS - Free Mind

While we’re on afrobeats let’s throw in another.

Tems has been around for a while now, coming to a lot of people’s attention when she guested on Wizkid’s made in lagos album, the track “essence” which was on my 2021 list.

Then, like with Rema, the big names came calling and she featured with Drake & Future on “wait for u”

Well she’s stepped out proper now and her album For Broken Ears in 2020 slowly found an audience, truly breaking out in 21 & 22

Woman with short red hair sitting with one leg up, wearing a white tank top, maroon shorts, and white boots, against a plain background.

Raye - Escapism

so let’s get into it… the TikTok section, the next few track all blew up on TikTok, and I’m not mad at that, it’s just another way for songs to cut through in an increasingly noisy space.

Raye paints a picture of a fairly messy broken place and it’s up to you how much is autobiography and how much is hyperbole. What’s undeniable is the beats by 070 Shake, and that refrain at the end of the track, brilliant.

Rosalia - Despecha

Look it just all bop, give into it, and the remix even has Cardi B on it.

Check out Motomami too

Child in pink winter jacket, beanie, and sunglasses skiing in snowy mountains.

Bel Mercy - Jengi

See the baby? Look Familiar?

If you know this baby you know this track, another TikTok scene.

What you probably don’t know is the name of the track and the artist, doesn’t really matter I’m sure they’ll dissapear a quickly as they arrived but not without leaving a bop.

Anybody wanna buy ski gear and goggles?

A man in a yellow shirt and blue shorts standing near the ocean, holding a pizza box, with a rocky shoreline and boat in the background.

Dave - Starlight

Dave’s lyrical delivery over an electronic interpolation of a swing classic, what’s not to like?

A woman is sitting on a shiny, illuminated horse-shaped sculpture.

Beyonce - Cuff It

So to call this a TikTok hit is probably right and wrong at the same time, yes it was pretty huge on TikTok and an absolute must play at every wedding and christmas party this year (Yep, I dad danced to it I admit it) but on the other hand it’s Beyonce, I think it wouldve been pretty huge with or without the dance craze on the App.

Drake thought he had the dance thing covered this year, then Bey came in a took it.

Young woman with long, wavy hair singing into a microphone on stage.

Holly Humberstone - London is Lonely

Holly first popped up mid pendemic with a couple of EP’s recognised very quickly as a cut above most, indeed she won the rising star award at the 2022 BRITS (and performed this song) but without normal promotion and touring she’s still a bit under the radar.

I saw her in a small and very packed room in birmingham in November knowing full well that next time around the rooms will be a lot bigger.

Two women hugging each other, one with long blonde hair and the other with long brown hair, in a close embrace

Two young women hugging in a green field with a clear sky

Two women, one young and one older, playing electric guitars together on stage during a live performance.

Wet Leg - Too Late Now

Yes they are media darlings and everybody is on about them, normally thats enough to cast these bands aside.

But this album has given us track after track and its worth calling them out.

…”I just need a bubble bath to take me on a higher path”

A young man with short blond hair taking a selfie inside a vehicle.

Every year somebody ends up with two tunes on the list and this year it’s Fred. He’s just caught a mood and most of all comes across as a really good guy, even stopping to pull pints while DJ’ing at a Dublin pub last month.

Delilah follows the Actual Life 3 format again using voice notes and sample from a friend (the eponimous Delilah) to create an airly and uplifting scene.

Fred Again (AGAIN!)

Delilah (Pull me out of this)

Four young adults standing together, wearing colorful casual outfits, against a white background.

Calvin Harris - Stay WIth Me

I mean it’s the Funk Wav Bounce formula…

This time with Pharell, JT & Halsey, how could it go wrong?

Oliver Sims-Hideous

The second member of The XX to make the list this year (sorry Jamie)

Hideous Bastard is a beautiful and fairly heavy album and the almost title track is a pure distilation of that.

A short but perfect cameo from Jimmy Sommerville leading up to that final line statement from Oliver himself, his time to talk.

Black and white portrait of a young man with dark hair and a serious expression, wearing a white collared shirt

A man in a white outfit standing next to a black SUV outdoors under a cloudy sky.

Stormzy - Mel Made Me Do It

It’d be hard to have a list without STormzy in there somewhere and for me it had to be this track.

And it important you understand how much is in this, over 7 minutes of pure bars bars bars. Most rappers would ve got 4 or 5 tracks out of that many lines.

But then it all made sense, this was Mike clearing the decks, he had all these lines to get out but they didnt have a home on the new album so… one big drop.

Also, watch the video